


More Than Blood

by generalekenobi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fake Marriage, Friends to Lovers, Kid Fic, M/M, Mandalorian Obi-Wan Kenobi, Minor Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Trans Obi-Wan Kenobi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 37,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25656328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/generalekenobi/pseuds/generalekenobi
Summary: After Order 66, Obi-Wan and Cody are left to pick up the pieces in the growing shadow of the Empire. Amidst the confusion and death, the birth of Luke and Leia harden their resolve to stay together, no matter the costs. Friends become family, family becomes clan, and the seeds of rebellion are sown.
Relationships: Boba Fett & Cal Kestis, Boba Fett & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody & Boba Fett, CC-2224 | Cody & Cal Kestis, CC-2224 | Cody & Leia Organa, CC-2224 | Cody & Luke Skywalker, CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Cal Kestis, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Leia Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Luke Skywalker
Comments: 312
Kudos: 1025





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've never seen an AU where Cody's chip doesn't activate and he runs away with Obi-Wan, so here we are. Also, I felt like there needed to be more Mando Obi-Wan fics. Not betaed, so lmk if you see any errors. Mando'a translations at the bottom.

“Commander Cody, the time has come. Execute Order 66.”

“Chancellor Palpatine? I- I’m surprised to hear from-”

“ _Execute Order 66!_ ” the Chancellor of the Republic demands, and Cody’s brow furrows beneath his helmet. Order 66 isn’t in any reg book he’s ever studied.

“I’m sorry, Chancellor, I don’t know the order you’re referring to,” he says, standing up straighter in attempts to shake the bone-deep exhaustion from his shoulders. These last few weeks were a neverending nightmare, and he tries to find the patience to deal with meddlesome politicians. Chancellor Palpatine _snarls_ , and if Cody were greener he might have actually flinched at the intensity of it.

“Defective clone! I will have you decommissioned for this!” he hisses, and Cody goes cold. What the hell did he do wrong? Before he can say anything, the call cuts off. Cody just stands there with his comm in his hand for a moment. The Chancellor is going to have him killed. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, he’s nearly too tired to care. This war has sucked everything out of him. For him to die at the hands of the Kaminioans is unthinkable. Rex would go mad if he did, and his General would never forgive himself. 

Cody shakes himself, and immediately dials up Obi-Wan’s comm. He knows his General can clear things up, he won’t let him die over a misunderstanding.

“Commander? What is it?” Obi-Wan asks. It’s been less than two minutes since they spoke and Cody handed him back his lightsaber, so he can’t blame his curiosity at the call. Cody watches the lizard streak up the side of the clifface and swallows.

“General, the Chancellor just informed me that I am to be decommissioned.”

“WHAT?! _Decommissioned_ ? Kriffing _why_?” the General cries, and Cody marks how the giant lizard falters for a moment before whipping around and descending the cliff rapidly with little more than a squawk. He clenches his fist. Of course the General would drop everything over this.

“I don’t know. He commed me personally and told me to ‘execute Order 66’. I have no idea what he’s on about - that isn’t in the regs. I told him that, and he told me he would have me killed for this. I’m… I’m sorry, I have no idea what I did, General,” he finishes quietly. The lizard hits the bottom of the clifface and is closing in on his location. Cody hears a commotion in the background, but he tunes it out. 

“Do not apologize to me over this, Cody, it is not your fault. I swear to you I will do _everything_ in my power to fix this. I-”

“KILL THE TRAITOR!” someone bellows, and Cody whips around to see Captain Dralo holding a comm and pointing at the General’s mount. There was a fucking mutiny going on! Before Cody can get a word out edgewise, he sees the man go for the heavy artillery. Cody tackles him. No one is laying a force-damned _finger_ on his General.

“What the _fuck_ are you thinking, trooper?!” he yells at the helmeted brother he’s pinning to the dirt before he finds himself being yanked away by two figures and thrown to the ground. The mutineer, no, _one_ of the mutineers, as it appears karking everyone has lost their minds, doesn’t even look back. Distantly, he notes Obi-Wan’s voice still coming from his comm, no doubt confused. Thank the gods he has enough mind to cease his advance.

“Good soldiers follow orders,” Dralo says, looking down at him before going to load the heavy artillery, lifting the cartridge into the gun with the silent support of the two troopers who yanked Cody off. He’s about to yell for Obi-Wan to run, but he hears a cry of anguish come through the comm from his General. Has someone else gotten him already? Cody scrambles in the dirt for his comm.

“General, there’s a mutiny, you need to run! Do you copy?” he barks into his comm, terrified. Obi-Wan _never_ cried out in pain, not in all the three years of injuries Cody had seen him gather in tandem with his own gray hair collection.

“The- the Jedi. They’re killing us, Cody, agh-!” Cody’s blood runs cold as Obi-Wan breaks off into labored breathing. Order 66, ‘good soldiers follow orders’, dead Jedi… the Chancellor is getting the vode to kill their own generals. Cody returns his gaze to the brothers manning the heavy gun. In the distance, he can see Obi-Wan slumped on his mount. He flings himself to his feet, drawing his blaster and firing on the man in the gunner’s seat. Dralo slumps over, dead from a smoking hole to the helmet. Cody remembers promoting Dralo just last month, remembers the pride shining in his little brother's eyes. He can hear his men cry out in anger at the action. He’s bought himself seconds. He runs.

“Obi-Wan, listen to me, I think the Chancellor gave me the order to kill you. You need to leave. The Chancellor is ordering us to kill our Jedi-” he grits out, dropping rank to try and get through to him. He watches as the lizard begins to come closer to Cody, seemingly of its own accord, praying they hurry already.

“They’re all dead! I can’t- Anakin, I can’t feel him! '' Obi-Wan cuts him off, delirious and panicked, and Cody winces. When he’d lost Bant last year, he’d gone nearly catatonic for almost five minutes. He had been vulnerable, completely exposed. His General is experiencing that again now, except it’s everyone. It's _Skywalker_. It’s a miracle he’s still able to cling to his mount. Cody bites his lip so hard he draws blood. Obi-Wan needs backup. The vode… he glances behind him to see men form up in squads and head towards their position. The whine of the laser cannon coming online snaps him into action. The only reason the entire Battalion hasn’t started firing on Obi-Wan is because they can’t see him from their positions. The cannons can. He sprints faster towards his General. Blaster bolts fling dust up at his feet as he dashes towards him.

He’s twenty feet from the General when he hears the laser cannon discharge. They’re out of time. 

There’s no impact. He looks up and sees his General with a visibly quivering arm outstretched before him. Less than a foot away from Cody is a humming, blue mass of plasma suspended in the air. Obi-Wan, half out of his mind, still managed to save his life by _freezing a fucking plasma beam_. He immediately rolls away, and Obi-Wan, still shaking, flings his arm back towards the cannon, throwing the round right back to where it came from. Cody ignores the explosion and the death-screams of his brothers as he watches his General begin to sway in the saddle. He catches him just before he hits the ground and grunts as he gets them both onto the mount, ducking blaster bolts all the while.

Obi-Wan is barely clinging to consciousness and he drops the lead. Cody has no idea how to ride the giant lizard, but he doesn’t even have to touch the reins before the lizard is off, skittering about in a zig-zag formation to avoid the blaster bolts. His General is limp and clammy where he’s collapsed against Cody’s chest. He murmurs something and the lizard changes directions, mounting the wall and skittering up a cliff face. Cody yelps and holds onto his General as tight as he can.

“Get to a… ship,” Obi-Wan breathes out before going completely slack. He’s out cold. Cody tries not to worry. He fails. 

The lizard has ceased its squawking as they crest the ridge, leaving the intermittent blaster fire behind. Cody holds tight to Obi-Wan, needing some confirmation that he isn’t alone as they streak towards an abandoned starship. His family turned on them. The Chancellor turned on them. Likely the whole kriffing Republic turned on them. They were alone, and he has no idea why. Cody shakes the thoughts from his head as they skid to a stop on the landing platform. The lizard lowers itself to the ground, somehow sensing Cody needs to remove an unconscious Obi-Wan. With no time for gentleness, he flings his commanding officer over his shoulder and jumps to the ground. He takes a second to spare a look over his shoulder at the lizard.

“Thank you,” he says, before jogging towards the starship. The lizard honks once before he can hear it run away to safety.

He clambers up into the starship with little more than a grunt, sliding Obi-Wan into the single seat and squeezing in himself before prepping the launch sequence. Cody spares a nervous glance towards Obi-Wan. The General looks like a corpse. His skin is a pallid yellow and glistening with sweat. Even unconscious, he’s shaking. The Jedi doesn’t stir as Cody starts up the engines. Their encampment shrinks to a mere pinprick as they leave atmo, and part of Cody is _screaming_ that he’s abandoning his brothers, but they’re all gunning for both him and his General. He can’t abandon Obi-Wan, not like this, not after everything. One of the people he cares about most in the galaxy is pressed to his side, looking like a dead man.

He can’t help the vode. He needs to save his General first.

* * *

If Cody had thought Obi-Wan looked like a corpse before, after Mustafar he looks more like a ghost. His robes are singed, ratty, and smeared with soot, his face is deathly pale save for his burnt-pink cheeks, and his hair is gray with ash. He glides back and forth outside of Padme’s room, flinching everytime she cries and occasionally at things only he can hear. If Cody had been there like he’d wanted, maybe Skywalker wouldn’t have killed his wife. She’s still alive, but Cody has seen enough dying men to understand what it looks like. Instead, he’d stayed with Organa as his General had requested. Obi-Wan had to kill his own padawan, something he wouldn’t have had to experience if he’d just fucking been there-

“Cody.”

He looks over and sees his General’s empty eyes staring through him. Kriff, he hadn’t been shielding.

“It is not your fault.” Obi-Wan says, and Cody frowns. 

“It isn’t yours, either, sir,” he replies, and sees Obi-Wan cringe.

“Call me Obi-Wan, please. I am not your General anymore,” he says, completely avoiding the important part.

“You may not be my General, but you’ll always have my respect and friendship, Obi-Wan,” Cody continues, stumbling a bit on the friendship part. Some tiny section of his brain keeps going off about fraternization, but getting to say goodbye to the regs is the one silver lining of this tragedy. Obi-Wan looks away at the praise, and nothing more is said between them.

Everything is fucked. His brothers have turned on them and obeyed the instructions of a madman. Skywalker led the rally against his own people, and Obi-Wan killed him for it. Ahsoka is nowhere to be found, neither is Rex. Padme is dying. Obi-Wan has never appeared hopeless before this point, but at this moment he looks like he’s a different man, a man crushed beneath the weight of the tragedies he bears. Cody can relate, he feels the same.

Soon, the med droid enters, startling Cody out of his daze.

“Madam is requesting the presence of Obi-Wan Kenobi for the birth,” it says, and Obi-Wan flicks a desperate gaze to his second in command, no, to his friend. Cody can’t help him with this, wouldn’t dream of violating the senator’s dying wishes by inviting himself in, so he gives Obi-Wan a weak smile and a flash of his fingers. Translation: _go on, General, I’ll watch your six._

_Affirmative_ , he signs back. Cody doesn’t miss how he shutters himself off afterwards. Obi-Wan enters the doors after one more glance, and the med-droid follows behind him. They still haven’t dimmed the windows, Padme’s only modicum of privacy being a modesty hood over her legs. Cody grimaces and looks to the other two men in the room. Bail is staring on, obviously horrified by witnessing his friend’s slow death, and Yoda is unreadable, yet is still focused on the dying woman. Bail was likely close enough for Padme to be comfortable with his presence, but Yoda was as good as a stranger to her. Cody is probably closer to her, and he barely knows the woman. Bail wasn’t going to gain anything from seeing his friend die, and Yoda had no business even being here. Cody, simmering with rage, paces across the room to the window controls. He jams the dim button so hard that he breaks the box in a mess of sparks and turns to stare hard at the other two men. Bail looks empty, and Cody takes pity on him.

“Seeing a friend die is something you never forget, Senator. Trust me on this,” he says, and Bail nods before sliding down and sitting with his back to the wall, seeming almost relieved that someone snapped him out of it. Yoda raises a brow, and Cody crosses his arms and keeps vigil over the blackened windows and the sparking control box. Yoda must find whatever he’s looking for, as he nods graciously before slowly tottering away, tapping his gimer stick on the ground as he goes. There Cody stays, for how long he isn’t sure, until the door slides open, revealing Obi-Wan carrying a bundle, no, _two_ bundles of screaming blankets and appearing all too overwhelmed. Cody’s by his side before he even realizes, and then Obi-Wan is handing him one of the children. He’s never held a baby, has absolutely no idea what he’s doing, but Obi-Wan doesn’t say anything, so he must be doing all right. 

“Her name is Leia. This one is Luke,” Obi-Wan says, nodding towards the child in Cody’s arms before looking down to his own. Cody looks at the screaming baby girl in his arms. She’s _miniscule._ She's red faced and wrinkly, and she’s covered in her own snot and tears. Cody smiles.

“Olaram bah oyu’baat, ad’ika,” Cody murmurs, and Leia opens her eyes to pin him with her blue, inquisitive gaze. She quiets and begins to squirm, working an arm out of the swaddle. She grabs his cheek with her tiny hand and stares at him intently. He hears a snort, and looks up to see Obi-Wan smiling gently at the pair. It’s the first time he’s heard his friend laugh in months, and the first smile he’s seen in weeks. Cody smiles back before giving her his hand, which she clings to and closes her eyes, appeased.

“They’re so bright in the Force, Cody. I… they’re beautiful,” Obi-Wan says, enraptured with the child in his arms. There’s something in his face that Cody can’t put his finger on. He thinks it might be hope, fragile and watery.

“I believe it si- Obi-Wan,” he says, giving a flash of a smile before refocusing on the tiny child in his arms. She truly is beautiful.

* * *

“Hidden, safe, the children must be kept,” Yoda says in that strange manner of his. Cody drums his fingers on the table and looks to his Gen- to Obi-Wan. His friend strokes his beard in thought.

“We must take them somewhere where the Sith will not sense their presence,” he says, looking to Yoda for guidance. The grandmaster hums.

“Split up, they should be,” he replies, and Obi-Wan gives a nod. General Kenobi is a brilliant tactician, a strong leader, and the most skilled negotiator Cody has ever seen. Emotionally literate, his friend is not. Cody knows the value of family, as a man who has just lost all his brothers to the rise of the Empire.

“No. That’s the worst thing you can do to them,” Cody says, unafraid of speaking up if it means the children aren’t ripped apart. Obi-Wan gives him a strange look, and Yoda frowns, as if he didn’t think Cody was even capable of speaking up. If that’s the case, he has another thing coming. He is a man with _nothing_ save for Obi-Wan, who has been charged with the care of these children with Padme’s dying breath. By extension, they’re under his care. They’ll be separated over his dead body. Obi-Wan must see this in his face, for he sighs and says nothing, likely already adjusting his mental plans.

“Commander Cody-” Yoda starts, but Cody isn’t taking no for an answer. He is anything but a mindless clone.

“No. You Jedi may like to think that you don’t understand the value of family, but look me in my eyes and tell me, a man who has just lost his _entire_ family, that I’m just as whole as I was before. Are you the same as you were before the massacre? Will they be, if you separate them?” he asks pointedly. Obi-Wan looks away. Yoda’s ears droop. Senator Organa seems to shrink in his seat.

“Okay, Cody. They will stay together. Where shall we hide them?” his friend questions.

Cody doesn’t have an answer to that.

“To Tatooine to their family, send them,” Yoda says. Another terrible idea.

“Is their family prepared to fight off the Empire, if they come?” Cody asks, knowing full well that they aren’t. No one speaks for a moment. Cody waits for what he knows is coming, carefully watching Obi-Wan. He sees the spark come back into his eyes, and Obi-Wan stares right at him.

“I will take the children and watch over them. I will protect them,” he says, and Cody nods. He knows his place.

“I will join you. I’ve had your back for this long, Obi-Wan,” he vows, and though Obi-Wan doesn't smile, he does nod his thanks, which is good enough for Cody to know he’s done right. 

“If stay together the children do, twice the danger they shall face. A moving target, you should pose as. Less likely to be found, you four shall be,” Yoda says, the first thing Cody agrees with. 

“We’ll need a ship, then. We can head for the Mid Rim, maybe Hutt Space, bounce around space stations for a while.” Cody says. Obi-Wan sighs.

“I have a friend who owes me a favor, but we’ll have to go back to Coruscant to meet with him,” he says. Cody nods. Into the vipers nest it was.

“To Coruscant, then.”

* * *

“There’s one more thing, Senator Organa.” Cody says before the man can steal himself away from where he’s helped them rent a discrete hotel room in the lower levels. The children’s cabu’ba’vodu pauses in the doorway, turning around to face Cody and the two sleeping children in his arms. In the past three days, he’s become proficient in the skill of baby juggling.

“Yes, Commander Cody?” he asks.

“Just Cody, now. In the off chance that you find another Jedi, can you comm Obi-Wan? He would never ask it of you, he probably thinks the risk isn’t worth it, but he’s desperate for information on any survivors. I at least know my family is alive. He… well, he’s got Yoda and nobody else, right now,” Cody trails off, seeing determination flare in the senator’s eyes. He nods.

“I give you my word, Cody,” he says, and then he’s gone. Cody sighs and looks down at the twins. It had taken them a log while to pass out, nearly an hour. They had probably been feeding off of Cody’s anxieties about letting Obi-Wan out of his sight on a planet where he needed backup the most, but he couldn’t quell his fear, even for the sake of the children. The only relief is that he’s relatively anonymous in Cody’s armor, freshly scrubbed of any identifying paint. Troopers have apparently been cracking down on the citizens under the orders of the Emperor, so he should be given a wide berth. He’s also reportedly shielding himself from Palpatine effectively. Logically, he knows his friend is fine and he could take care of himself, unlike the children, but it still set Cody’s teeth on edge. He’s not used to sitting out.

R2-D2 beeps at Cody from his position in the corner. He _thinks_ the droid says something about putting the mini-humans down to recharge, but he doesn’t speak binary very well. Neither does Obi-Wan, so having the astromech around will be interesting, at least. The little bugger was furious after Padme and Anakin died, but he wouldn’t leave Obi-Wan’s side when he overheard that Padme had given birth to twins. Poor Threepio was heartbroken that they couldn’t justify having a very memorable protocol droid as well as a spiteful astromech, so he’s still with Bail. It’s honestly sort of sweet that Artoo is so dedicated, but it’s strange having the droid around with no Skywalker in sight.

“Alright, alright, Artoo,” he says after the droid screeches at him again.

He gets up and goes to place the children in their makeshift bed on the floor constructed of a mound of blankets boxed in by the remaining pillows. Neither Cody nor Obi-Wan mind sleeping on the same bare mattress. Said mattress is far more comfort than they were used to having in the field, threadbare and lumpy though it may be. There’s nothing new about the closeness, either. Obi-Wan and Cody had bunked together often during their campaigns, choosing to share a single officer’s tent in favor of converting another medical tent for the wounded. They’d rarely slept in the same bed, but it had happened before, usually on the particularly frigid planets they were deployed to. Cody had long ago lost the jitters over being so close with someone who wasn’t a brother, let alone someone as charming as Obi-Wan. 

Artoo wheels over and parks himself next to the children like a sentry keeping watch.

Cody goes to sit on the bed, blaster rifle loosely cradled in his arms as he lounges against the wall. He’s thoroughly exhausted after the last three days and nights of childcare. He theoretically knew that newborns screamed a lot, but he had no idea it would be so often that he was almost as tired as when on a particularly grueling campaign. Thank kark he was so used to sleep deprivation and stress. He allows a portion of the tension to leave his shoulders and permits himself to rest his burning eyes for just a moment.

He hears a knock on the door and startles. Artoo beeps chidingly. He’d fallen asleep. He trains his rifle on the door. Another knock comes, then a pause, then three knocks in quick succession. That was the signal. Cody lowers his rifle, but unwilling to wake the children by giving his own signal, Cody drops his mental shields and thinks ALL CLEAR as loudly as he can. After a moment, a figure dressed in plastoid armor enters, carrying a large bag slung over his shoulder.

“Kids are finally asleep,” Cody says in a low voice. Obi-Wan reaches up and removes his helmet before shaking out his ruffled ginger locks. Cody smirks at the helmet hair as Obi-Wan begins to shuck off the armor. He meets Cody’s eyes and gives a thin smile.

“Dex has a ship for us. He also has a solution for our rather notable faces,” he says, opening the sack and reaching inside. He retrieves a shining beskar helm, chucking it to Cody. Cody’s breath catches. He never dreamed of abandoning his republic armor, but if he had to choose an alternative, it would undoubtedly be beskar. It’s any mando’s dream. He looks up.

“How?”

Obi-Wan finishes removing his armor, placing it all in a pile before turning.

“Apparently Dex has been dabbling in arms-dealing, among other things. Armor is one of his specialties, and he let me try on a suit of beskar for myself. Kama, too. Yours is around the same size as your old armor, so it should fit,” he says, sitting on the other side of the bed. “I felt terrible, but he was adamant that yours was in repayment for the favor he owed me, and mine was in thanks for the battle of Coruscant. After I mentioned we had both become guardians of Padme’s twins, he also said he was giving us his favorite freighter, which I objected to, but he’s a stubborn mynock, and told me I’m getting the ship whether I like it or not,” he sighs. Cody has never met the besalisk in question, and is already in his debt for the priceless armor, let alone for becoming co-owner of the cook’s main ship.

“What make is she?” he asks. Obi-Wan shakes his head and yawns. He stretches, only to bump into Cody’s blaster and raise a brow. Cody quickly places his helmet and blaster on the floor.

“Didn’t say. She’s named the _Coruscanti Rover_. We can pick her up in the morning. I’ll get up next time anyone gets fussy, so get some shuteye,” the Jedi instructs.

“Night, Obi-Wan,” he mutters.

“Goodnight, Cody,”

Artoo beeps.

“Goodnight, Artoo,” they say in unison.

* * *

“This is a museum piece, not a freighter!” Cody exclaims, looking at the Old Republic era Lethisk-class armed freighter as Artoo rolls up the ramp, eager to explore. Obi-Wan must shoot him a look at that, it’s hard to tell with the helmet. It’ll take some adjusting for Cody to read his friend through the armor, but he’s used to it as someone who's spent all of his life around helmet heads. He reluctantly follows his friend into the ancient red and gray freighter.

“He gave me the specs, not the make. With the aftermarket adjustments, she is more than adequate!” Obi-Wan exclaims, entering the ship. The interior is luxurious if somewhat rundown. The ship had obviously been converted to a pleasure cruiser by one of it’s previous owners. It isn’t looking very promising as a contender in a dogfight, if Cody is being honest.

“What could _possibly_ make anything this old worth the trouble?” Cody asks, bouncing Leia as she starts to fuss. He’s half serious, as he knows precious little about civilian ships, let alone one he’s only heard of being akin to a showroom piece. He flops down on one of the ridiculously comfortable couches and removes his bucket. Obi-Wan disappears into the cockpit with Luke.

“Aftermarket .75-class hyperdrive, dual laser cannons, concussion missile launcher-” he lists, returning to the room now helmetless and sporting the most modest of smirks, “- modified sublights capping out at speeds 950 km/hr if you really push her, a cargo capacity of 60-tons, the three-sentient crew requirement has been retrofitted to allow for a one-sentient crew due to navicomp upgrades, three bedrooms with more than enough room for expansion, and the only thing it lacks is docking capabilities. Not to mention the thick hull and top of the line shielding. Dex knows his ships, and he wouldn’t gift us a junker or something that just looks pretty,” he says, raising his brow. Cody sighs. She sounds terrific, but he has no idea how Obi-Wan remembered all of that. He probably memorized it to combat Cody’s pessimism.

“You sound like a ship salesman,” he grumbles. Obi-Wan rolls his eyes at Cody’s addition to the conversation and walks towards the bedrooms.

“Thank you for that intelligent contribution. Now, come with me and pick out your room,” he says, rocking Luke back and forth and walking towards the rear of the ship. Cody follows, a little surprised at the deference. He’s not exactly used to making his own decisions in life. All of the rooms appear bare, though the middle holds a large crib that Dex must have placed here the night previous in one last act of kindness. Cody choses the left room because it’s closer to the entrance, meaning he’ll be between any intruder and Luke and Leia. Not that he doesn’t trust Obi-Wan, it just makes him feel better, is all. After placing both Luke and Leia down for a nap, they lounge in the cockpit. Cody hates being on Coruscant longer than they have to, but they need some form of a plan. 

The Jedi sprawled across from him sighs and runs a hand down his face before sitting up and lacing his hands together. Cody knows that look - the Negotiator is out to play.

“We need new names. New backstories, too. Even if we don’t end up in Repub... Empire Space, we’re both wanted men,” he says. Cody nods. He’s been expecting this. Obi-Wan Kenobi is a household name. Commander Cody isn’t, but enough people know of him that he needs to switch it up a bit to feel comfortable.

“Cody is a bastardization of Kote. I’ll go back to basics. I’m Mandalorian, anyways, and the armor will help with that. I assume we’re sticking with the helmet plan, yes?”

Obi-Wan nods.

“Yes, it is the safest route. So, you are a Mandalorian… bounty hunter?”

Cody shrugs. He’s fine with taking bounties, if he has to. He sure as hell has the skillset for the job.

“You are a Mandalorian bounty hunter named Kote. Any idea on a clan?” he asks, and Cody frowns. 

“We can work on that. I’m… Ben. Not Kenobi, that’d be too obvious if I have to take my helmet off. Not… no, not that either. Tano, perhaps?” He asks, almost hesitantly. Obi-Wan had said that Ahsoka was alive as far as he could tell, and she was just as much of a fixture of the 212th as she had been of the 501st, so Cody nods. It might even get around to her, help her track them down. Obi-Wan nods back, almost to himself.

“I’m Ben Tano. I wear Mandalorian armor, speak the language… could I pass as Mandalorian?” he asks. Obviously he’s speaking about temperament, rather than appearance, as Mandalorians could be of any creed or species. Obi-Wan’s grasp of the language rivals Cody’s own, so that isn’t an issue. When cornered he fights like a feral strill, his hand to hand bearing many Mando tendencies from both his time spent on Mandalore in service of the Duchess as a teenager, and from sparring so often with Cody. Tano isn’t a traditional Mandalorian name, but it is convincing enough for the name of a convert. So, Cody nods. 

“I… it does not offend you for me to wear the armor and call myself Mandalorian, does it?” he asks, and Cody is taken aback. Most conservative Mandalorians wouldn’t even consider _him_ Mandalorian due to his second-hand knowledge of the Ways, so he has very little room to judge. Considering they’re doing this to survive, the bending of the rules doesn’t bother him in the slightest.

“No. I mean, you already uphold most of the Ways already. Self defense, armor, language - I assume we’ll teach them Mando’a as well?”

“Of course.”

“Then that’s number four. You cared for the vode, you took care of us as one does clan. The twins are clan, and you’re caring for them-”

“You are my clan, as well, Cody,” he says in earnest, with a face so open that it makes something twist in Cody’s chest.

“Thank you, Obi-Wan. You care for clan, and you helped the Duchess. She wasn’t Mand’alor, but she was a more worthy leader than Pre ever could be. In my eyes, if you agree to the Resol’nare, you’re as Mandalorian as it gets, vod,” he says, nearly shoving his entire foot in his mouth by reverting to ‘sir’, but switching it out with vod last second. Obi-Wan gets that faraway look in his eyes.

“I nearly took the Resol’nare as a teenager. If Satine had asked me to, I would have. I… my life as a Jedi is over. My way of life is gone, and only the fall of the Empire can change that. Perhaps I can raise Luke and Leia to use the Force and follow some of the tenants, but I cannot raise them just as I was raised in the way of the Jedi, as peacekeepers. Doing so only serves to put them in danger when they need to be able to defend themselves. I… I need a clean slate… I _want_ a cin vhetin. For both myself, and for the children,” he says, glancing up at Cody nervously. Cody is suprised, but he grins. If his friend wants his approval to walk the Path, he more than has it. Following the Path in order to better protect the foundlings under his care is already a course of action that displays great mandokarla.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi, do you vow to defend yourself, wear beskar’gam, speak Mando’a, instruct your children in the ways, defend your clan, and aid the leader of the Mandalorians in their time of need?” he asks, and watches hope bloom fresh and fragile on Obi-Wan’s face.

“I do,” he replies in earnest, a sense of finality ringing through his words.

“Then you are deemed worthy of walking the Path. This is the Way,” Cody recites with a smile on his face. He reaches his arm out, and Obi-Wan, half-dazed, clasps it in the manner of their people.

“This is the Way. Haat, ijaa, haa’it” he vows.

“In my book, you’re a Mandalorian now, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan smiles bigger than Cody has seen from him in a long time. After a moment of them sat there, grinning at each other like a couple of di’kute, Obi-Wan seems to think of something, as he gets that spark in his eyes.

“We’re clan. Do you wish to share the same surname, vod?” he asks, shorting Cody’s brain out for a moment before he catches the vod bit. Obi-Wan _wasn’t_ asking if he wanted to declare riduurok. He… he doesn’t know how to feel about that. Regardless, he nods. He trusts and cares for Obi-Wan just as much as Rex, so he’s more than happy to pose as his brother. Besides, part of him is preening about sharing a clan name, fake though it may be. He’s only ever had the one name.

“Yeah, I’d like that, vod,” he replies.

“So, we’re a pair of Mandalorian bounty hunters, Ben and Kote Tano, of Clan Tano. Luke and Leia are our foundlings, who we were charged with after their parent died. Is that good with you?” he asks, and Cody nods. 

The two are still grinning as they leave Coruscant behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Obi-Wan would have reacted to Order 66 like he did to the destruction of Alderaan, so that's why he literally passes out.
> 
> Mando'a translations:  
> Olaram bah oyu’baat, ad’ika - Welcome to the universe, little one  
> *Cabu'ba'vodu - Godparent (lit. guardian aunt/uncle)  
> Kote - Glory  
> Mand'alor - The leader of the Mandalorians  
> Vod - Sibling/mate/comrade  
> Resol'nare - The six tenants of Mandalorian life: Armor, self defense, defense of clan, speaking Mando'a, raising one's children in the Ways, and standing with the Mand'alor when called upon  
> Cin vhetin - clean slate, lit. virgin snow  
> Mandokarla - A state of having great Mandalorian virtue.  
> Haat, ijaa, haa’it - Truth, honor, vision, words to seal a pact  
> Di'kute - Idiots
> 
> *Anything starred is an invention of the author
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @/generalekenobi for writing updates and star wars content.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I cut you a discount and threw in some ordinances with your ammo bag, on the house,” he says, before handing Obi-Wan his rifle, which he gingerly shoulders, and finds places to conceal his blades whilst juggling Luke.
> 
> “Oh, we couldn’t possibly-” he starts.
> 
> “Think of it as a wedding gift then. You two recently married, yes?” Kato asks, and Cody is silent. Obi-Wan nods dumbly, ignorant of how to get out of both the gifts and the marriage questions. Thank kark he has a helmet to hide his blush.

“This is Captain Ben Tano of the Coruscanti Rover requesting to dock,” Obi-Wan says to the port official who hails them.

“Permission granted. Welcome to Space Station Kwenn, Captain Tano, enjoy your stay.”

Obi-Wan lets go of the breath he was holding and takes her into the berth. He wasn’t expecting the man to somehow recognize his voice, but the new name would take some getting used to. The ship touches down with a small jolt, and Cody reappears holding Leia with Luke strapped to his chest in a makeshift birikad fashioned from Obi-Wan’s old robe. He wordlessly hands an identical one off to Obi-Wan, and then gently passes him Leia. She’s fussy, has been since they dropped out of hyperspace and she jolted awake. Thank the Force Luke was as quiet as she was loud, otherwise he might not have gotten any sleep at all. Obi-Wan thinks he needs at least a gallon of caf to help stave off the bone-deep exhaustion that plagues him. He knew the crechemasters had difficult jobs, but dear _gods_ he had no idea the scope of it all.

Kwenn Space Station is smack dab on the border between the Mid-Rim and Hutt Space, orbiting a dingy little planet of the same name. It’s the perfect match of disreputable and quiet that they were looking for. Obi-Wan has only heard of it by reputation, specifically when he’d been undercover as Rako Hardeen. A bounty hunter’s guild operates out of a bar here, and the yearly dues are only 500 credits per member. Joining a guild is top on the to-do list for all the protections it offers. It wouldn’t do at all to track down a bounty only to be refused payment. 

Obi-Wan is surprised at how little the thought of taking bounties alongside Cody bothers him. Perhaps it was because he’s now responsible for two little mouths to feed, or perhaps he’s developed a numbness to violence after years at war, but so long as the bounty is better off in prison for the good of the public, he sees no issue morally with using those funds to care for those he’s responsible for. Given his preferred skillset of arbitration being a bit too closely associated with his real identity, he’s left to rely on the veritable well of combat experience he’s acquired over the years. He’s too transient at the moment to go into private security, anything military is not an option, and so bounty work it is.

Sadly, lightsabers aren’t commonplace amongst bounty hunters, let alone Mandalorian ones, so he’s going to have to convert to using blasters. There’s no way in all the Sith hells that he's going to walk around without it concealed somewhere on his person, but it’s hardly practical for stealth. He has Cody’s DC-17 on his hip, and Cody’s carrying his DC-15A on his back, but Obi-Wan is aware they are woefully under-armed to pass as bounty hunters. Neither of them need anything more than they already have to be a deadly threat, but aesthetics do matter. They’ll be laughed out of the bar if they aren’t packing more heat. 

“Stay with the ship, Artoo.”

Artoo doesn’t reply for a moment, before beeping that Obi-Wan better stay alive and storming back onto the ship. Obi-Wan just rolls his eyes at the drama. Anakin is-

Dead. Anakin is dead and he shouldn’t be thinking about how Anakin cared so much for the sassy little droid, how he always insisted Artoo had a personality. Obi-Wan bites his tongue as they walk further into Kwenn Space Station.

“Kote, I was thinking it would be appropriate for us to visit a blaster store before we do anything else. My usual weapon of choice isn’t exactly... subtle, so do you have any suggestions for which blasters I should use?” he asks, attempting to distract himself and glancing towards his friend as they walk. He isn’t quite used to the constant helms, but he is adjusting. He’ll have to as a Mandalorian, now. He can see Cody cock his head, likely surprised that Obi-Wan was deferring to his judgement, superior though it may be. Obi-Wan’s been doing his best to treat Cody as his equal in all things, oftentimes handing judgement over to him entirely. The Republic’s greatest sin was never granting the vode citizenship and sentient rights, so he’s doing his best to atone for that mistake. Cody is his own man - a man who undoubtedly knows more of blasters than a lifelong swordsman.

“Hmm. Well, you’ve had experience with a DC-17 before, so that’ll never do you wrong. For a secondary sidearm… the WESTAR-34 is elegant enough for your tastes. The Prime used ‘em, claimed they had a capacity of 20 shots because if you needed more than that you were either a bad shot, or outnumbered. The requirement for accuracy would compliment your Force-thing well,” he says, prompting Obi-Wan to roll his eyes. “And you strike me as a sniper, so if you can find it, I think the Valken-38x is the best sniper rifle out there, but I’m likely biased towards Republic weapons,” he says, shrugging. Obi-Wan nods as they exit the hangar and blend into the populace. They get a few hungry stares due to their gleaming beskar, but are left alone as they make their way to the gunsmith. That doesn’t mean Obi-Wan can’t hear the wave of jealous thoughts that follow them, but he does his best to block them out.

“Remind me to find us some paint for our armor after this. Otherwise, I’m afraid someone will try and jump us for our beskar’gam in the bar. We both pose quite the attractive target,” he says, and he hears Cody snort through his vocoder. Obi-Wan almost rolls his eyes out of his skull at that.

“You know what I mean. The next shop is the one we’re looking for,” he motions to the side, and Cody nods before they enter the shop. Guns line every square centimeter of the wall, and there’s a string of ordinances hanging from the ceiling behind the front desk, likely breaking so many laws that he wouldn’t even know where to begin. He takes a breath. The children will be fine. That doesn’t stop him from placing a protective hand around Leia’s small form.

“Welco-Olarom, burc’yase! Ner gai Kato, tratur Aliit Oarcy! Tion gar gaise?” Obi-Wan hears, and turns to see a towering Mirialan man in full beskar’gam save for a helmet clasping Cody’s arm in a warrior’s grasp. His hair is black and greying at the temples, and he absolutely dwarfs both Cody and Obi-Wan in size. Obi-Wan crosses the room and returns the greeting, quickly recovering after being slightly caught off guard by the sincerity of the friendly gesture.

“ _My name is Kote, representing Clan Tano. This is Ben, also of Clan Tano, and Luke and Leia. It’s good to meet you, Kato,”_ Cody greets, slipping into Mando’a like it’s a second skin, and isn’t that something? Obi-Wan has to mentally shake himself before tuning back in. He thought he’d gotten over himself, but apparently not.

“ _Ah, I see. Foundlings are the future. This is the Way.”_

 _“This is the Way,”_ Cody and Obi-Wan answer in tandem.

“So, what can I help you two with?” he asks in Basic, and Obi-Wan slips into Negotiator mode. 

“My partner and I were recently forcibly relieved of our things, both our weapons and our old armor. With our foundlings being so young, we didn’t want to leave them and enter a fight outgunned, so we moved on. As you can see, we’ve gotten the armor covered, but we need a little more firepower than we’ve currently got,” he says, making sure to speak with his hands to make up for the lack of facial cues, and to stand close to Cody as if still put off by the entirely fabricated traumatic experience. He feels bad lying, but this will hardly be the last time they’ll have to do so for the greater good. Perhaps Kato would be sympathetic to Obi-Wan and Cody’s plight, but he could also detest the Jedi and the Republic for the War. Obi-Wan can’t take that chance.

“I see. Picking your battles so wisely shows your merits as caretakers. Now, are you partial to GAR hardware, or is that just what you could get your hands on?” he asks, and Obi-Wan defers to Cody.

“Very partial. We’re in the market for a set of DC-17s and a Valken-38x. Also, a WESTAR-34 if you have any pieces in stock,” he replies. Kato gives a lopsided grin. 

“You’re in luck, my friends. I just so happen to be partial to the GAR’s stuff as well. WESTAR line, too, those are some solid pistols” the Mirialan says before disappearing into his back storage room. He soon reappears toting everything they asked for as well as a bag of blaster packs. Kato lays everything out on the table for Cody to pounce on and inspect, weighing the blasters, sighting the rifle, doing other, unknowable things to test the quality of the goods. Kato raises a brow at Obi-Wan’s lack of participation.

“He is the gun expert of the family, while I am more partial to blades, myself,” he says, and Kato’s eyes light up. He reaches beneath the desk and retrieves a large roll of oilcloth which he furls out on the table. It contains blades varying in length from a boot blade all the way up to a large dagger. Obi-Wan immediately goes about selecting a boot vibroblade and a tactical vibroblade for them both, placing them on the counter next to their guns.

“I cut you a discount and threw in some ordinances with your ammo bag, on the house,” he says, before handing Obi-Wan his rifle, which he gingerly shoulders, and finds places to conceal his blades whilst juggling Luke.

“Oh, we couldn’t possibly-” he starts.  
  
“Think of it as a wedding gift then. You two recently married, yes?” Kato asks, and Cody is silent. Obi-Wan nods dumbly, ignorant of how to get out of both the gifts and the marriage questions. Thank kark he has a helmet to hide his blush.

“That’s what I thought. Congratulations, then!” the gunsmith exclaims.

“Thank you kindly,” Obi-Wan replies graciously, unsure of the proper etiquette for receiving wedding gifts and well-wishes. It wasn’t exactly in his education on social niceties.

“Well, the riduur and I still need to pay our dues to the guild,” Cody says, placing a hand on Obi-Wan’s pauldron to steer him to the door.

“Of course, don’t let me keep you. May your weapons serve you well!” he exclaims, and they make their exit. Obi-Wan would have felt bad about the hastiness of it, if he wasn’t so flustered, that is.

* * *

Obi-Wan stares at his reflection in his gleaming beskar helmet, paintbrush poised in the air. He frowns before looking to Cody, who's already finished with his black base coat. Obi-Wan looks back to his own blank helm.

“Y’know, Obi-Wan, you don’t have to paint your armor immediately, or even at all. Plenty of Mandos don’t,” Cody says, not even looking away from where he’s painting a stripe down the center of the dome in 212th orange. Obi-Wan sighs. He’s seen a few people who chose to not paint their armor, but he wants to at least have something he can rally behind. The Open Circle Fleet symbol is out, as is the Jedi symbol he used to proudly wear on his pauldrons. Well… perhaps not.

Inspired, Obi-Wan picks up his paintbrush and dips it into the cyan paint before taking it to his helmet. His hands are steady and sure, and soon enough a wing is emblazoned on the side of his helm. He smiles. It isn’t quite the symbol of his people, but it's as close as he’s willing to get. Obi-Wan quickly turns his helm over and repeats the action, leaving him with a gleaming, winged helmet. They don’t look exactly like the wings from the Order’s seal, being more realistic, but that’s probably a good thing. He takes up his vambraces and paints a stylized version of the lightsaber from the center of the seal right where the Open Circle Fleet symbol had been on his arm guards. He then paints the kar’ta beskar in the center of his chest blue as well, for a finishing touch.

He smiles, content with his work. Maybe further down the line he’ll have more that he wants to emblazon his armor with, but for now he’s content. Looking over at Cody reveals him still working on finishing up his helmet. He’s painted a gold stripe inside of the orange one and linked it with a gold-painted visor-plate. The cheek-plates he’s painted orange, and he’s dragging his brush down onto the still silver face-plate to form what appear to be teeth. Obi-Wan leans in closer, and sure enough, the helmet now appears to have a fearsome set of top jaws

“May I ask what the significance of the teeth are?”

Cody finishes painting his teeth and sets his paintbrush aside, rubbing a crick out of his neck.

“They’re Mythosaur teeth. You remember Rex’s jaig eyes?” Cody asks. Obi-Wan nods.

“Rather than earring them for valor, Mythosaur teeth signal that someone has lost many clan members - they’re said to be as lonely as the last Mythosaur.” Cody says, and Obi-Wan moves closer to his friend, trying to offer some form of comfort. Cody flashes him a grateful smile, obviously catching on to what he’s doing.

“But even though they’re a sign of great loss, they’re a symbol of defiance as well. It varies on who you ask, but I chose to interpret them as a sign that I’m going to keep fighting. The teeth can also mean one is going to enact vengeance of some sort - I’m confirming that through the gold paint.”

Obi-Wan cocks his head. He knows that certain colors can have certain meanings, but he remains ignorant of them.

“Gold symbolizes righteous vengeance, and painting my visor-plate gold signals that my eyes are on the prize. I’m furious, Obi-Wan, and I don’t know if that will ever go away. I want to do something about it eventually, find some method to fight back,” Cody tells him, fired up. Before Obi-Wan can ask if that’s such a good idea, Cody deflates a bit. “That said, I don’t want blind destruction. The base of my armor is black to symbolize justice. I don’t want to get carried away in my search for revenge. First and foremost, I want you and the children safe. The rest can come later.” Cody sighs. “And orange means a lust for life, but I picked it more for the 212th than anything else,” he finishes. Obi-Wan had no clue the complexity of the different ways to color one’s armor. He turns towards his own, studying the shade of cyan that’s emblazoned on the beskar

“What does blue mean?” Obi-Wan asks. Cody glances at Obi-Wan’s handiwork.

“It suits you. Blue in general means reliability, but light blue like yours signals that you’re a protector of both children and of the future of the Mando’ade as a whole. Blank beskar is usually associated with the quest for redemption,” Cody says, and Obi-Wan stares intently at his armor. The meanings did suit him. He’s dedicating the rest of his life to ensuring that he will _not_ fail the next generation of Skywalkers like he did their father. He can’t think of a more fitting declaration to show to the world.

* * *

The bar goes silent when they walk in. 

It’s a real hole-in-the-wall kind of place. _Spacer’s Paradise_ it’s called, and Obi-Wan thinks it's an apt title. As nervous as leaving the children under R2-D2’s care while they nap on the _Rover_ is making him, bringing them here would have definitely spiked his blood pressure more. The looks that they’re getting range from curiosity, to shock, to hunger, and he didn’t know an armor fetish was even a thing until the greasy looking human man in the corner began projecting _very_ loudly. Obi-Wan walks closer to Cody, uncomfortable with all of the attention. He should have been used to it, what with being the famous Negotiator, one half of Skywalker and Kenobi. He just didn’t expect to face the same amount of interest just for dressing as a Mandalorian. He knows his new people are spread thin across the galaxy, but meeting Kato seems to have made him forget just how rare it is to see a Mandalorian warrior in full beskar’gam, let alone two.

Obi-Wan senses the curly-haired woman in the middle of the room is the boss of the operation, what with how she’s lounged about like she owns the place, and so he steers them in her direction. Cody follows, obviously more than happy to let him take the lead. Once they reach the table, Obi-Wan cocks his head.

“Are you the woman to speak to about joining the Guild?” Obi-Wan asks, and her eyebrows twitch as if she’s surprised. A small, jaunty smile breaks out on her face and she motions to a chair across from herself before giving a snap with her tan hand and having the barkeep materialize next to their table with an extra chair. While they get settled, the bar begins to go back to normal, though Obi-Wan can still feel the gazes of a majority of the patrons.

“The name’s Ruya Karga, and bounties are the game. You’ve come to the right place, gentlemen,” she says as she takes her boots off the table and sits up. She leans forward, a twinkle in her eye. Eye, singular, because the other is cybernetic. It reminds Obi-Wan of Commander Wolffe’s.

“We’re looking to join the Guild.” Obi-Wan says simply, not wanting to give a name if she doesn’t ask. He takes a couple credit chips out of his pocket and places them in front of her on the wooden table. She smiles.

“Do either of you have any experience or references?” 

Obi-Wan shares a look with Cody.

“Yes and no. We’ve both served as mercenaries and have been in leadership positions in the armed forces. We’ve spent the last three years bouncing around the Outer Rim working private security for some of the… less than legal trading operations, if you catch my drift,” Obi-Wan says, lying through his teeth. Working security for spice smuggling operations is no joke, and she seems impressed at his fabricated tale. She sits up straight and snatches their credits up before sticking out her hand to shake. 

“Welcome to the guild, boys,” she says. He ignores the hand and grasps her arm, an action that seems to fluster her. People are indeed strange about Mandalorians. Cody grasps her arm as well. Ruya Karga gets her blush under control and reaches inside of her jacket for some bounty pucks. Cody’s taking the first bounty, insisting he do so after studying Obi-Wan’s admittedly rather abysmal looking undereye circles. Really, he looks worse than he feels, but he decided to let Cody win this round. 

There isn’t much of interest, and none of the payouts are anything spectacular, but Cody goes ahead and snatches a puck for a bail jumper in the same sector they're in. Sounds like it should be easy enough. Karga cocks her head.

“Your partner want one too?” She asks, and Obi-Wan shakes his head. 

“We switch off. The children are too young to be left to their own devices,” he tells her, and her smile turns genuine. Karga reaches into the other side of her jacket and pulls out a holopic. There’s a grinning pre-teen in it, riding what appears to be a fathier. 

“This here’s my little boy, Greef. He’s why I’m in this profession to begin with, the payout was too good to pass up. It’s refreshing to meet other parents, sometimes I’m afraid I’m raising him wrong because of my job,” Karga tells him, and this near stranger is so earnest and authentic in the Force that he finds himself pulling out the holopic he had Artoo take. 

“As long as you raise them with a lot of love and affection, they should turn out just fine,” Cody adds, making a lump form in Obi-Wan’s throat.

The holopic flickers to life, showing Cody passed out, helmetless, with both the kids in his arms, also asleep. Karga smiles warmly at the sight. Cody sputters.

“Nu’ni kartayli gar ru tayli sur’gaan!” Cody somehow manages to get out. Obi-Wan is grinning underneath his helmet at Cody’s misfortune.

“Ru Artoo,” Is all he replies, ignoring Cody grumbling about selling the astromech for scrap. Obi-Wan slides the pic back into his belt and stands as Cody does, nodding to Karga. 

“Good doing business with you boys,” she says.

“Ret’urcye mhi, Karga,” Obi-Wan replies before they turn and exit the bar as one, leaving the heavy stares of the curious patrons behind.

“I think that went rather well, don’t you?” Cody asks. Obi-Wan hums.

“Yes, she seems nice. The rest of the patrons, not so much.”

Cody looks at him.

“Really? I felt them staring, was it that bad?” he asks. Obi-Wan sighs.

“Most of them, no. They were just curious. The man sitting in the corner, however, had a rather… intense fascination with my armor.” He finishes. He can feel Cody’s surprise morph into annoyance in the Force before he gets it under control.

“Well, let's hope he isn’t there next time, or him and I will be exchanging words,” Cody informs him before walking ahead, leaving no room for argument. Obi-Wan doubts he could get a word out anyways with how flustered he is.

* * *

They pay for three nights at the Tallifax Inn, hoping that Cody will be back before then. The bounty was last seen on Nar Bol Shadda, which is practically right next door. The room is the only available one, a tiny thing with only one bed, but at this point, Obi-Wan doesn’t get lightheaded when faced with the scenario of sleeping next to Cody. He’s gotten used to waking up next to him, and part of him sleeps better knowing he’s with someone he can trust implicitly. Besides, Cody is understanding and gracious about Obi-Wan’s nightmares, just as Obi-Wan is towards Cody’s own.

Obi-Wan’s feeding Leia while Cody paces a hole in the floor, scouring his datapad for any reference of Yelun Trule, his bounty. Obi-Wan personally thinks he’s overdoing it for such a small bounty, but he lets Cody plot. 

Leia gurgles and stops eating, so Obi-Wan puts the bottle down and begins to burp her. She yanks on his ear, and Cody crosses to hand her a rattle that she can white-knuckle instead.

“Thank you,” Obi-Wan says, and Cody smiles.

“I never thought I’d be raising foundlings, but they’ve really grown on me.” Cody admits, and Obi-Wan meets his gaze with an understanding smile.

“I second that. They’re… they’re so good, Cody, and they’re practically supernovas in the Force. Just like Ana-” Obi-Wan cuts himself off so fast he bites his tongue. That pit in his chest where his heart used to be aches, reminding him of its presence. He’s been so busy just surviving and caring for the twins that he hasn’t had time to process his grief. It _hurts._

Cody walks towards him and sits on the bed, close but not crowding. He takes Leia from Obi-Wan, and studies him. Obi-Wan tries to hold himself together.

“It’s okay to grieve, si- Obi-Wan. Have you… talked about it?” Cody asks and then winces, likely realising that they’ve been far too busy for such frivolities. Obi-Wan shakes his head.

“No. I… right now, I can’t. I swear, when I can, I’ll come to you. I just… need to commune with the Force. I haven’t meditated since… well,” Obi-Wan says, looking away. Cody reaches out hesitantly and places a hand on Obi-Wan’s knee.

“I’ll watch the kids for a few hours, leave you to meditate. Is that… alright?” Cody asks, and he’s so genuine that Obi-Wan smiles at his friend. He briefly places his hand over Cody’s and squeezes before getting up.

“That would mean the galaxy to me. Is it alright if I do so on the ship?” he asks, and Cody offers a tentative smile.

“Of course.”

Obi-Wan nods and goes about putting on his armor. He’s still not used to the weight, to the way it restricts his moments. Still, it’s a necessary evil. And he does have to admit, it makes him look parsecs more intimidating.

He heads out and quickly makes it to the ship, garnering a few stares, but thankfully not covetous ones. 

“Hello, Artoo,” he greets when the hatch opens to reveal their astromech with his electroprod extended.

Obi-Wan is still learning binary, but he thinks the astromech asks why he’s back so early. He sighs.

“I need to meditate, and it’s quiet here. I need to recharge,” he says, putting it in droid terms. Artoo beeps his assent and goes back over to his own charging station. Obi-Wan sighs. Seeing Artoo so much means he keeps… forgetting. He expects Anakin to saunter into the room and start repairs on the droid, or Ahsoka to walk in and share a joke with the astromech. His chest hurts at the thought of his grandpadawan. He’s almost glad she wasn’t around to see Anakin’s fall, but the fact that she could be dead and he’ll never know makes him clench his fist. He’d told Cody she was alive, but as far as he knows, that could be wishful thinking. She might have died when he was unconscious, and the feeling of their training bond snapping could have been lost in the sea of pain.

He sits down on the cold floor, forcing the thoughts away. He’ll deal with them while meditating.

He reaches up and takes his helmet off, holding it in his lap. Obi-Wan takes a deep breath in, holds it, and releases it, feeling the tension melt from his shoulders. Slowly, he sinks into the Force.

It embraces him like he is a lost child, and cries out at the emptiness of the galaxy. It feels _wrong_ , barren, and it nearly breaks his concentration, but he releases the soul-deep sorrow he feels into the Force. He’ll just have to get used to it.

Luke and Leia are helpful anchors, like twin suns in the vacuum of space. He checks on their well beings and relaxes as he finds them asleep. Feeling more grounded, he stretches his feelings out further, through Kwenn Space Station, out into the vastness of space. He can only sense around half of Hutt Space and a small section of the Mid Rim, and he’s sweating with the effort. He feels _nothing._ Not a single familiar soul, aside from those on Kwenn. 

He’s well and truly alone. Ahsoka is nowhere to be found.

Obi-Wan opens his eyes on the _Coruscanti Rover_ and finds them wet with tears.

* * *

Obi-Wan shines his helmet as he stares at the wall. He feels better, having communed with the Force, but the confirmation that he’s the last of his kind aside from Yoda has drowned out any benefits from meditating. Artoo had been so concerned with how out of it he was that the astromech insisted on escorting him back to the hotel room and staying to keep watch. He appreciated the company, but it hadn’t helped his head very much.

Cody throws a binkie at his head, and Obi-Wan’s so distracted that he fails to catch it. He turns to look at his companion.

“Are you okay? I’ve been calling you for a while,” Cody says, brows furrowed and lips downturned. Obi-Wan is too drained to put on a happy face.

“I’m just tired,” he says. Cody gives him a flat look, but Obi-Wan doesn’t fold. Cody turns his datapad off and sets it on the nightstand, pausing his plotting.  
  
“Let’s go to bed, then. The kids are already asleep again,” he says, and Obi-Wan glances over at the collapsable crib they had set up for the twins. Sure enough, they’re snoozing away, Artoo standing guard next to them. Obi-Wan hadn’t even noticed Cody put them down. He sighs, and begins to organize his armor next to Cody’s on the floor before slipping beneath the covers. The whole time, Cody watches him like a shriek-hawk, concern painted plain on his face. Obi-Wan hits the lightswitch with the Force and draws the covers up to his chin, huddling on his side of the bed. Cody remains silent.

“Yoda and I are it. We’re the only ones left,” Obi-Wan says into the dark, which is easier than admitting it to Cody’s face. “I reached out in the Force today, and as far as I can feel, I’m completely _alone_ -” Obi-Wan cuts off, biting his cheek to try and keep the tears from his eyes. He sniffs, attempting to keep at least some of his dignity.

“Permission to hug you, s- Obi-Wan?” Cody asks, and Obi-Wan smiles at the formality.

“Granted,” he replies, and shivers at the feeling of Cody sliding his arms around Obi-Wan’s huddled form. He turns into the embrace, throwing an arm over Cody in turn. He hasn’t been this intimate with another being in years, unable to trust just anyone. 

He trusts Cody with his life, with _more_ than his life - he trusts him with Luke and Leia. So, it’s easy to curl into his friend’s chest and let himself mourn.

“I’m here, Obi-Wan,” he says, not saying things are alright because they aren’t. “I’ve got you,” he says, not making promises he might not be able to keep. “You’re a strong man,” he says, not lying by saying Obi-Wan will be alright.

Obi-Wan holds Cody tight and he allows himself to break apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering why R2 got nervous when asked to stay with the ship, this post (https://generalekenobi.tumblr.com/post/622187760261988352) was the inspiration for that pain.
> 
> Mando'a Translation:  
> Birikad - Baby sling  
> Olarom, burc’yase! Ner gai Kato, tratur Aliit Oarcy! Tion gar gaise? - Welcome, friends! My name is Kato, representing Clan Oarcy! What are your names?  
> Riduur - Spouse, partner  
> Nu’ni kartayli gar ru tayli sur’gaan - I didn't know you took (I used keep/preserve) a picture!  
> Ru Artoo - It was Artoo.  
> Ret’urcye mhi, Karga - Goodbye, Karga, lit. maybe we'll meet again


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You wanted to take off my helm. In my culture, that's a challenge to the duel. If I win, I walk away with another notch under my belt. If you win, you gain my helm and I have to denounce the path of the warrior, sticking to another profession entirely," Obi-Wan grits out, and Cody really wishes he'd framed that differently by the way that the man's face lights up.

“Are you Yelun Trule?” Cody asks the Zeltron man behind the pet store’s counter. The man’s smile slowly drops.

“Who’s asking?”

Cody retrieves the bounty puck from his belt and places it on the counter, activating it to show the rotating visage of the man in front of him. Yelon pales to a reddish-pink, and flashes another smile, this one more strained.

“This is a misunderstanding, see. I’m just a hobbyist, not a seller, they’ve got everything wrong-” Cody just stares at him in silence until he trails off. Cody grabs the bounty puck from his belt and turns it off.

“We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the-!” Before Cody can finish, the man reaches beneath the counter and retrieves a box which he flings at Cody. Cody pulls his blaster and shoots a stun-ray before the box even connects, leaving the man unconscious on the grimy floor.

The box shatters upon impact with his armor, and leaves a horde of small, evil looking bugs all over him. Cody flails and tries brushing the nasty things off, only seeming to agitate them more as they cling to his undersuit. He realizes in that moment that they’re spor crawlers, and if he’s stung once he’s a dead man walking.

Without a second’s hesitation, Cody takes his blaster, ensures it’s still on stun, and fires a shot at his leg, frying the invertebrates to a crisp. He falls to his knees in pain and nearly drops unconscious, but his armor coupled with the fact that the blast wasn’t a direct hit means that he barely retains consciousness. Cody groans and leans against the counter, staring at the countless smoking carapaces surrounding him on the floor. Needless to say, it isn’t his proudest moment. Rex would have… will ridicule him when he finds out.

Slowly, Cody stumbles back to his feet to stare over the counter at the unconscious Zeltron. 

“Should have picked the easy way, Yelun,” he says to himself as he walks over and trusses the man up before flinging him over his shoulder and walking out onto the Nar Bol Sholla streets. Nobody even pays him a second glance as he melts in with the crowd. Hutt Space may be rough, but at least he isn’t going to have any more trouble from the locals.

As he walks into the spaceport, he sees a holoscreen playing one of Palpatine’s speeches and grimaces. A few interested civvies are grouped around as well, watching on in either disgust or morbid curiosity. 

“I am pleased to announce, my fair people, that the Imperial Army is now opening its doors to _all_ who wish to serve! No longer will common clones fill the ranks, but a true cross section of the populace will go on to protect our Empire and spread peace and stability throughout the galaxy!” Palpatine says to thunderous applause. Cody clenches his jaw so hard he’s surprised he doesn’t crack a tooth. He turns towards his ship and forces himself to walk away, trying to block out every word that the evil bastard is spitting out.

They _used_ him. Him and his brothers are just disposable in the eyes of Palpatine. He used them to gain the trust of their Generals, to become invaluable in the Jedi’s fight, and then he forced them to turn on their most trusted allies. Now that his master plan was successful and the Jedi were no more? He has no use for the clones.

Cody shudders to think of what will happen to the 212th. He almost doesn’t want to know what will become of them, though that’s the coward’s way out

When he gets back to the _Rover,_ Cody thoroughly lashes Yelun to the passenger’s seat where he can keep an eye on him and punches in the ignition sequence with a little too much force. If Yelon is lucky, he’ll stay unconscious. Cody knows he’s bad company right now. He still calls up Obi-Wan on the holocomm station after leaving atmo, because a promise is a promise. Obi-Wan looks happy to see him, which lowers his hackles somewhat. 

“Hello, Cody,” he says, and Cody relaxes a little more at his voice.

“Su’cuy,” he replies, slipping into Mando’a without thinking. Obi-Wan seems to blush, though that could just be a trick of the holo.

“How’s the hunt? Are you coming home now?” Obi-Wan asks, and Cody’s chest goes warm. Home, for them, now means each other. It’s not a place.

“The hunt was interesting. There were bugs involved, remind me to fill you in when I get back. And yes, I’m in orbit of Nar Bol Sholla _._ ”

Obi-Wan cocks his head slightly.

“Are you alright? You seem upset.” 

Cody slumps in his chair. Of course his jetii picked up on it. He does not have the energy for this conversation right now, so he just nods.

“We’ll talk when I get back _."_ Cody says, and Obi-Wan narrows his eyes before nodding.

“Okay. Travel safe, dea- Cody,” he says, stuttering strangely before ending the call. Cody sits himself down in the captain’s seat and begins prepping the jump to hyperspace right as Yelun groans and starts coming-to. Cody sighs. It’s going to be a long jump to Kwenn Station.

* * *

Cody’s happily counting his credit chips when he walks up to the door, and he starts when the door swings open before he can knock. It’s just Obi-Wan, but that doesn’t stop him from placing his hand on his blaster. Obi-Wan raises a brow at the motion, and Cody rolls his eyes.

“Well, hello to you too,” Obi-Wan greets, and Cody sighs.

“Hello, Obi-Wan. How’re the kids?” Cody asks, already drifting over to where they’re both having tummy time on the floor. Luke squeals when he catches sight of him, and Cody can’t help but smile when Leia does the same.

“They’ve missed you terribly. The pair of them have just been inconsolable these past two days.”

“Poor things. Su’cuy, ik’aade,” he murmurs, bending down to their level and removing his helmet, prompting more squealing. Cody laughs as he feels a little tug on his face from either Luke or Leia, and glances to Obi-Wan, whose brows shoot up.

“Did one of them just try and use the Force?” Obi-Wan asks, and Cody nods.

“Felt a little pull on my face. I think they want me to come closer,” he says while scooping up Leia and then Luke to hold in each arm.

“That’s unheard of, them being able to access the Force this early!” Obi-Wan exclaims, and Cody smiles. 

“We’ve got two little prodigies on our hands then,” he replies, but Obi-Wan’s face darkens.

“We’ll have to teach them to hide it. The Emperor… he’d kill to get his hands on such power,” he states, and Cody has to close his eyes for a moment. It’s just another thing to add to the list of things the children need protecting from, a list that seems to grow longer with each day. Thank kark Obi-Wan has at least a little experience with force-sensitive childcare, considering he helped raise Skywalker. Cody doesn’t know what he’d do without him. Cody looks down at the children in his arms. Leia’s eyes have morphed from newborn-blue to a dark brown that resembles his own, while Luke’s eyes are a brighter blue than even Skywalker’s were. 

Cody realizes in this moment that he’d kill for them. He’d die for them. He would do anything and everything in his power to protect them. Cody loves them, really, _truly_ loves them.

The Emperor can try and take them away. If he does, he’s going to have to go through both Cody and Obi-Wan to do it, and Cody has faith that not even the Emperor is capable of coming between them and their ik’aade. Because they are _their_ ik’aade - though it’s hardly been a few months on the run and they’ve just settled into some form of normalcy, they’re a family. The children are the future - they’ve wormed their way into both Cody’s and Obi-Wan’s hearts, and Cody can tell Obi-Wan cares for the children more than he can admit. It’s not just the children who Cody’s attached to, either. He trusts Obi-Wan to always have his back, has followed him into hell and back, and he knows that Obi-Wan has the same faith in him. 

Cody once overheard one of the Cuy’val Dar talking about family, and what it means. _Aliit ori’shya tal’din_ was what always stuck with him - family is more than blood. He thought he understood what it meant, but he didn’t, not really, not until he lost the vode, the only family he’d ever known. In the wake of that tragedy, he gained another family, one he cares for just as much. 

“Cody?” Obi-Wan asks, snapping him out of his daydreaming. Cody looks up and finds his friend studying him.

“Hmm?”

Obi-Wan hesitates for just a moment before shaking his head.

“Nevermind. How was the hunt?” Obi-Wan asks.

“Easy, but painful. You know how Trule was wanted for possession of illegal species?”

Obi-Wan cocks his head.

“Yes,” he says. 

“Well, one of those species was spore crawlers,” he says, and Obi-Wan blinks.

“Oh no, I have a feeling I don’t like where this is going,” he replies mildly, and Cody laughs.

“He kept them in a box under the counter and threw them at me when I tried to take him in. I stunned him before I realized what was on me and blasted myself in the leg to fry the nasty things,” Cody admits. Obi-Wan is valiantly trying to conceal his smile and keep a serious face.

“That is one way to deal with them, I suppose,” he teases, and Cody stares at him deadpan.

“What, do you have a better idea on how to get rid of them?”

Obi-Wan hides his smile behind his palm.

“The Force,” he offers.

“Wow, why didn’t I think of that?” Cody quips, and Obi-Wan chuckles.

“Regardless, I’m glad you’re alright, dear,” he says before going bright red. He doesn’t take the endearment back, though, and Cody can feel his own face go a little hot. He clears his throat and looks down to the children, who are both falling asleep.

“Thank you, Obi-Wan. Now, I think it’s naptime for them. We can check out and go and put them down on the Rover, then how about a spar?”

* * *

"Warmed up?" Obi-Wan asks, shaking his arms out. Cody nods, standing up from where he was stretching on the floor and squaring off against Obi-Wan. It's been a while since they last sparred, too long, but with how the war ramped up before the end of everything, it's not like they had any leisure time. Now they have the opposite problem. Aside from childcare, which is _nearly_ a full time job, they're both directionless. Cody needs this, and he's willing to bet that Obi-Wan does too.

"Ready?" Cody asks, and drops into stance as soon as Obi-Wan nods. Obi-Wan's guard is tight, and Cody knows for a fact that outlasting him isn't feasible. He comes at him hard right out of the gate, aiming a punch right towards Obi-Wan's head. The Jedi Master dodges it, but makes the mistake of not retaliating, leaving Cody plenty of room to try and sweep his feet out from under him. Obi-Wan sidesteps in the nick of time, but is still dangerously unbalanced for a moment before he's able to right himself. He has yet to throw a punch. Cody huffs. He’s playing too nice.

"Come on, already. Are you a Mandalorian, or not?" Cody challenges, and he catches a flash of flint in Obi-Wan's eyes before the man nearly knocks his block off with a high kick aimed at Cody's neck. Cody dodges and grabs his extended leg before slamming him onto the ground. Obi-Wan seems to have anticipated this, because he latches onto Cody with his arms and bodily rolls them so that he's pinning Cody to the mat after they stop. Cody arches his back, pushes off with his legs, and neatly flips them so that he’s the one pinning Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan strains against the hold, but he must realize he’s beat by the wry smile that breaks out on his face. Cody swallows at the sight. Obi-Wan puts up a token struggle for a few moments more before relaxing. Cody looks anywhere but Obi-Wan’s entrancingly blue eyes.

For some reason, they make him feel like his chest is going tight, the intensity present in them nearly blinding.

"Sha'kaji," Obi-Wan declares, and Cody offers him a hand up. 

“I suppose you were correct in saying that I would be rusty,” Obi-Wan admits, and Cody smiles.

“Can I get that in writing, please?”

Obi-Wan squints at him before huffing.

“Oh, do shut up,” he says, and Cody laughs. He’s happy, happier than he’s been in a long while. They may spend most of their time together, but they do so as either protectors or bounty hunters, not best friends. Sparring is good for the both of them.

Obi-Wan's expression goes soft, and Cody cocks his head as Obi-Wan reaches a tentative hand out to place on Cody's shoulder. He swears he can feel the heat of his palm even through his shirt. It _burns_.

"Yes, well, thank you anyways for the spar. We should do this more often," he says, a twinkle in his eye, and Cody finds himself mirroring the Jedi's smile.

"Yes, I'd like that."

* * *

The bar doesn’t go silent when they walk in this time, but it sure as hell quiets down. Cody glances around, but most of them don’t have the guts to openly stare this time. _Most_ of them - a greasy looking human with a nasty scar across his throat is the exception. Obi-Wan is diligently not looking in his direction, and Cody frowns under his helmet at the way that the man is looking at his friend. 

"Gentlemen, back for more so soon?" Ruya asks, drawing his attention away from the creep.

"Yes, Ruya. Nice to see you again." Obi-Wan greets as Ruya waves them over, already digging around in her pockets for bounty pucks. 

"Never knew Mandalorians were such hard workers, I'll have to remember that," she says, laying out a line of criminals for them to choose from. They're all minor offenders, bail jumpers and the like, except for one. Inera Okare, wanted dead or alive for child abuse and murder. Cody purses his lips beneath his helmet. He already knows which bounty Obi-Wan's going for. Apparently Ruya was clueless, as her eyebrows make an escape for her hairline as Obi-Wan pockets the puck for Okare. 

"You sure you want to go after him when you have young ones to come home to?" Ruya asks, and Obi-Wan tilts his helmet.

"That’s precisely _why_ I am going after him. It's the right thing to do, and I have faced much worse than the likes of him," he says. Ruya seems to study him appraisingly.

"Not many in our profession care about doing the right thing. Are you pulling my leg?" Ruya asks. Cody shakes his head.

"He's really that noble. It's nearly gotten him killed more times than I could count," he offers, and Obi-Wan lets out a little huff through his vocoder. Cody knows he wants to argue that it was his duty as a Jedi to endanger himself recklessly, but he can't exactly say that in front of Ruya. Ruya glances between them.

"You two are cute. Let me buy you both a drink," she offers, waving the barkeep over. Cody blanches at the thought of revealing their faces, but Obi-Wan steps in, suave as ever.

"That sounds lovely... but we're from a strict clan. No helmets off unless among family," Obi-Wan lies through his teeth, and Ruya stares openly at them.

"You mean, you never take the helmets off?" Ruya asks, obviously intrigued, and Obi-Wan shakes his head. It's not as if his claims are completely unfounded, but such practices are uncommon holdovers from some of the isolated clans in the wake of the Mandalorian Wars, when the rule was strictly for safety purposes. Now... well, it's as good an excuse as any.

"Around each other and the children, yes, but not for strangers. We apologize-"

"No, no, I was being rude and I didn't even know it. Please, forgive me," She says, and Obi-Wan nods graciously.

"You are more than forgiven. We appreciate the gesture, and your understanding of our ways. Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to be getting back to the children," Obi-Wan says, rising. "I expect to be back within the next two weeks or so."

Cody rises alongside Obi-Wan, and begins to walk towards the door. It takes him a moment to realize that he isn't being followed, and turns around to see Obi-Wan facing off against the creep from before, arms crossed defensively.

"You sure you don't want to take that helmet off, sweet thing?" The man asks, and Cody's blood boils. He stands back though, knowing Obi-Wan can handle himself just fine. The man likely doesn't understand the significance of what he's just said. Challenging an opponent to take off their armor is throwing down the gauntlet for an honor duel, and Obi-Wan must realize this by the tension that shows in his shoulders. Cody lets him handle it, it isn't his place to step in. If they were actually married, maybe, but even then it could be construed as a sign of weakness for Cody to interfere. 

"I'm not taking this off for the likes of you, no. I hereby accept your challenge of an honor duel and request that the match be 'til first blood," he says curtly, and the man frowns.

"What?"

Ruya sidles up to Cody and elbows him.

"Are you just going to let this happen to your husband? That’s Udil Erkin, the best knife-thrower in the quadrant," Ruya says, and Cody huffs. He doesn't correct her because they’ve already gone along with the ruse with Kato and it would be best to keep their story straight.

"Asking for a Mando's armor or trying to take it is a challenge on that person's honor as a warrior. They may have an informal fight right then, or an official duel, which Ben just did. If he was feeling rude, he would have decked the man on the spot for suggesting it, but it's Ben we're talking about, so everything has to be proper and nice," Cody grumbles, staring at Erkin's bewildered face with some sense of satisfaction. The entire bar is watching them though, which seems to give the man some confidence.

"You wanted to take off my helm. In my culture, that's a challenge to the duel. If I win, I walk away with another notch under my belt. If you win, you gain my helm and I have to denounce the path of the warrior, sticking to another profession entirely," Obi-Wan grits out, and Cody really wishes he'd framed that differently by the way that the man's face lights up.

"What kind of duel? Blasters, _knives_?" Erkin asks, and Obi-Wan sighs.

"That is for the challenger to decide, and the challenged party to accept," Obi-Wan admits. The man grins, twirling a knife from his sleeve between his fingers.

"I'll stick with knives. ‘Til first blood, you say?" Erkin asks, and Obi-Wan nods as they walk outside. The rest of the bar follows them, and a place is quickly cleared away for their match outside of the dingy bar. Thank kark they're on Kwenn rather than one of the fancy stations where duels are outlawed.

Ruya seems worried, a crease forming between her brows. Cody nudges her.

"He'll be okay," he says, and her frown deepens.

"How can you be so sure? If he loses, he has to give up this way of life!"

Cody glances towards where Obi-Wan is calmly unsheathing his vibroblade from his belt.

"Because he's Ben. He's the strongest man I know," he offers quietly, and Ruya bites her nails before nodding.

"If you have faith in him, then so do I. Mind if I place a bet?" Ruya asks, and she motions towards a huddled group of people who are already placing wagers. Cody scoffs before digging out all of his credits from his most recent bounty and placing them back into Ruya's hands.

"Place one for me, will you?" Cody asks, and her eyes go big as she nods. Cody glaces back towards Obi-Wan before pushing his way through the forming crowd to get to his friend.

"You'll do just fine," he says, stepping towards Obi-Wan and placing a hand on Obi-Wan's pauldron. Obi-Wan looks at him through their visors, and now Cody wishes he could see his eyes. Obi-Wan always did wear his heart on his sleeve if you looked close enough.

"I'm worried for him, not me. I don't wish to hurt him, stupid though he may be," Obi-Wan says, and Cody squeezes his armored shoulder to try and offer comfort. Of course that's what he's worried about. He may be a Mandalorian, now, but he's still Obi-Wan Kenobi. Even when accepting an honor duel, he's more concerned for the welfare of others than his own honor.

"You won't hurt him bad. You've got this, alright? I made a big bet on you, and I'll be pissed if I lose my credits," Cody jokes, and Obi-Wan smacks him.

"Kote, how could you be so irresponsible?!" Obi-Wan exclaims, and Cody grins as he steps back.

"Because you've never let me down before," he says, right as the greasy man finishes his preening and boasting and turns back towards Obi-Wan. Cody steps forwards and claps loud enough to gain everyone's attention.

"Everyone, listen up. This is an honor duel to first blood. We've already heard the stakes. To first blood _only_. If the combat continues afterwards, the duel is forfeit. Are both parties ready?" Cody asks, and Obi-Wan nods. Erkin grins and nods as well. "On my mark, get set, FIGHT!" Cody calls, stepping back as Erkin immediately flings his knife at Obi-Wan, who's no longer there. Obi-Wan sidesteps before he advances as Erkin pulls out a second knife to throw at him. Obi-Wan dodges again, but this one glances his pauldron, and the man is still fumbling for another when Obi-Wan tries to cut him in the arm. Cody can tell by his lack of speed that Obi-Wan is holding himself back out of fear of seriously hurting the man. 

Erkin dodges out of the way and rolls away to grab one of the discarded knives as Obi-Wan turns to face him. Erkin doesn't throw it, likely realizing he’s met his match, and lunges for Obi-Wan instead. Obi-Wan blocks with his vambrace, the vibroblade skidding across with a shower of sparks and a metallic clang. Obi-Wan twists his arm and shoves the man away before darting inside of his guard and aiming for the leg. The man manages to deflect the blade with his own before Obi-Wan tosses his vibroblade up to his free hand and slices the man in the arm. Erkin howls and leans away, and Obi-Wan backs up a few steps. The man's arm is bleeding, but not quickly enough to be worrying. 

Obi-Wan is sheathing his blade with his back to Erkin when Cody notices Erkin snarl and rush towards Obi-Wan. Cody steps in front of him, catching the arm holding the knife and squeezing hard enough that the man drops it with a gasp. He stares up at Cody's visor.

"You just attempted to stab a man in the back. Your honor is forfeit, huu’tun," Cody says icily as the crowd stares on. Erkin glares up at him.

"Like that means anything," he snarls, trying to yank his arm back. Cody doesn't let him, instead squeezing harder. This scumbag just tried to kill Obi-Wan. Everything is off the table now, and Cody has half a mind to challenge the man to a deathmatch.

"It means by the old laws that he has the right to kill you. Be grateful Ben likes to play nice," Cody snarls, and feels a hand on his arm. He looks over to see Obi-Wan staring at him, and he doesn't even have to say anything for Cody to drop the man's arm. Cody already knows he wouldn't approve of Cody fighting for his honor. He _knows_ Obi-Wan can watch his own back just fine, but that doesn’t mean he should have to do it all alone.

"You two are dead. Do you hear me? DEAD!" The man exclaims before his friends drag him away. Obi-Wan puts his hands on his hips and gives Cody a disapproving look

"He tried to kill you!" Cody tries, but Obi-Wan doesn't budge.

"Do you truly believe I couldn't have handled a man with a knife?" Obi-Wan counters, and Cody's at a loss for words for a moment.

"You- you would have done the same, in my place!" Cody says, and Obi-Wan's hands drop from his hips. He says nothing, and Cody realizes he's just won an argument with Obi-Wan. He doesn’t have time to enjoy his victory before Ruya is walking up to them with heavy pockets and a large grin.

"Here's your winnings. Nice fight, by the way. You just made me a rich woman. And don't worry about that fool, he'll be banned for trying to kill you," Ruya says, dumping a load of credits into Obi-Wan's hands.

"Oh... thank you," he says. "We really must be going, we've been away from the children for much too long," Obi-Wan says, and shoves all of his credits into his pockets before turning, grabbing Cody by the arm, and walking back towards the hangar. Cody would accuse Obi-Wan of trying to duck out of receiving any accolades if he didn’t want to check on the children himself.

"I'm sorry, if I overstepped my bounds," Cody says, and Obi-Wan sighs.

"You did no such thing, which I am grateful for. I wouldn't be much of a Mandalorian if I couldn't handle an honor duel. And... you were right, in saying that I would have done the same. I don't fault you for that," he says. "Now, shall we?"

* * *

“We never talked about what was bothering you,” Obi-Wan says as he’s packing his bag in their blessedly large hotel room. Cody doesn’t mind closeness, but having his own room again is refreshing. He looks up from where he’s sewing Obi-Wan a new cape before diligently returning his eyes back to his project.

“Oh?” Cody says, as if the thought never occurred to him, and Obi-Wan puts his hands on his hips.

“Yes, ‘oh’,” he says, and Cody stares at his hands.

“Palpatine is phasing out the vode,” he says, and Obi-Wan is silent for a moment.

“Oh, Cody, I am so sorry,” he says, walking over and sitting next to Cody. Cody shakes his head and looks up at his friend.

“You have _nothing_ to apologize for. You were always there for us when we needed you. None of this is your fault, it’s all _him_ ,” Cody spits, hatred dripping from his words. Obi-Wan looks a bit startled at the intensity of it. Cody looks at his friend and sighs.

“I just… wish I could do something about it. I looked up the full speech on the way back, and they’re transferring any vode over the age of ten to veteran’s homes. That leaves _children_ serving on the front lines with natborns and robs the rest of us of our purpose. I couldn’t imagine rotting away in some home, and that’s all they’re allowed to do considering they still don’t have sentient rights,” Cody says, looking back down at his hands. “I want to help, but I need to protect Luke and Leia. They matter, more than I can say, but I… feel useless, for the first time in my life,” Cody admits. He looks back up at Obi-Wan, who seems to be digesting his words. Some irrational part of Cody wants to apologize for speaking about his feelings, but he trusts Obi-Wan with them, especially after Obi-Wan shared his own private grief with Cody the night before he left for Nar Bol Sholla.

Obi-Wan stiltedly places a hand on Cody’s back in comfort, drawing a sigh from Cody as he leans into the touch. Obi-Wan seems to gain confidence and begins to rub small circles on his back.

“I truthfully don’t know how to help. I also wish to help the vode, Force knows they deserve so much better than they are getting. Even with the children, who we both agree are our top priority, I swear to you if we find a way to help, we will. I will keep my ear to the ground and you do the same, alright? If we learn of anything big, we take our chances. Does that… does that help you to hear?” Obi-Wan asks, cocking his head to the side as if he isn’t sure of himself. Cody is so overwhelmed with his gratefulness that if he were a less disciplined man, he’d hug Obi-Wan. He knows Obi-Wan can be touchy, though, so he settles instead on smiling and reaching over to squeeze Obi-Wan’s knee.

“Thank you,” he says, and means it. Obi-Wan goes a shade of pink and looks away.

“Yes, well, of course, anything for you. Now, I really must be going,” he says in a strained voice, standing up and grabbing his bag. 

“Wait,” Cody says, and ties off his last stitch before unfurling the dark blue cape and walking around to face Obi-Wan’s backplate. Obi-Wan freezes as Cody attaches the cape to his armor.

“I- I thought that was a blanket for the children…” Obi-Wan says in a funny voice, and Cody comes back around to face him.

“I know how much you liked your robes, and while it’s not exactly the same, I think it’s as close as we can safely get. Besides, you can wear your lightsaber on the back of your belt now,” Cody explains. Without his helm, the shock is plain to see on Obi-Wan’s face. He stares at Cody for so long that he begins to feel uncomfortable before stepping forwards and embracing him. Cody is blindsided for only a moment before he hugs back.

“Thank you,” Obi-Wan says in a low voice in Cody’s ear, and Cody swallows.

“You’re welcome, sir- Obi-Wan,” he says, messing up and reverting to his old title. Obi-Wan steps back and holds his shoulders, looking him straight in the face.

“Thank you, Cody,” he repeats, and Cody doesn’t know how to respond other than nodding. Obi-Wan steps back and shoulders his bag and his Valken 38X before retrieving his helm and putting it on. He turns back to Cody.

“How do I look?” Obi-Wan asks, and Cody looks his friend up and down. His beskar gleams silver, his pistols sit on his hips like they belong there, and his cape compliments the bright cyan accents on his beskar’gam. Cody’s mouth goes a little dry. Obi-Wan looks _good_ , looks like he’s got mandokar. It sinks in that Obi-Wan is really one of the mando’ade now. Cody knew and accepted the fact before, he'd watched him fightt in an honor duel for kriff’s sake, but now that he’s standing here staring at a battle-hardened beroya, it finishes sinking in. 

“You- you look good, Obi-Wan. Real good,” he says, and Obi-Wan tilts his chin up slightly in the way that he does when he’s smiling.

“Thank you, Cody. Now, I’m off to Bracca. I promise to comm when I come out of hyperspace,” he says, and then he’s gone. 

Cody stares after him for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lovely Anna over at [ jars-artcollection](https://jars-artcollection.tumblr.com) made this [ beautiful fanart](https://jars-artcollection.tumblr.com/post/626100854559326208/inspired-by-generalekenobis-fic-more-than) inspired by MTB! Go check her out!! The cape scene was inspired by how pretty Obi-Wan looked with a blue cape lmao. Also, I'm planning on updating on Fridays until I run out of material, then I'll update as I write. Follow my tumblr @/generalekenobi for writing updates and star wars content  
> Mando'a Translations:  
> Su'cuy. - Hey.  
> Su'cuy, ik'aade - Hey, babies.  
> Sha'kaji - Truce  
> Hut'uun - Coward, worse possible insult  
> Beskar'gam - Armor  
> Mandokar - The right stuff, Mandalorian virtue  
> Mando'ade - Mandalorians, lit children of Mandalor  
> Beroya - Bounty hunter  
> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You a bounty hunter?” he asks, and Obi-Wan realizes he needs to assuage this kid’s fears immediately or he’ll make a run for it
> 
> “Yes. I’m tracking a bounty. Adult human, blond, skinny, face tattoo. Have you seen him?” he asks, emphasizing the _adult_ part of his description. What a child could have possibly done to fear having a bounty posted on his head, Obi-Wan has no idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: there is a man who is implied to have assulted children, but nothing happens save for a child being grabbed by him before he's dealt with appropriately.

Obi-Wan sets his ship down in the near deserted spaceport next to Bracca’s largest shipbreaking yard. He gets the feeling that there aren’t nearly as many departures as there are arrivals and shivers. Most people who were employed here had no other choice. Obi-Wan finds himself grateful that he has people who are waiting for his return, and he also finds himself grateful that they’re far away from this depressing place, all warm and cozy in an inn on Kwenn Space Station. He remembered exactly how unpleasant Bracca had sounded in Master Tapal’s field reports to the Council, and he’s glad that Luke and Leia are as far away as possible from such a polluted, miserable planet. 

Artoo tagged along, apparently more trusting of Cody’s capabilities to take care of the children then of Obi-Wan’s ability to take care of himself. Obi-Wan makes him stay with the ship, prompting the astromech to run over his foot in anger. Obi-Wan promised to retrieve him if he needed to slice anything, but Artoo still pouted.

Obi-Wan braves the biting rain as he makes his way towards the Scrappers Guild bar, grateful for his cape to lessen the bite of the wind. Even thinking of Cody making it for him makes his face go hot again.

He knew Cody cared for him, but didn’t understand just how deep his affections ran until he caught Cody projecting the other night. And then, when Cody went to the trouble of fabricating a cape for him? Obi-Wan nearly melted on the spot.

He curses his thoughts as unproductive and turns them back to the hunt.

The one benefit, if it could be called that, to this hunt is that Obi-Wan can’t wait to get rid of this disgusting wretch of a sentient. The bounty is dead or alive, and he’s struggling to keep from hoping that the man forces his hand. The Jedi valued life, and he still considers himself a Jedi despite swearing the Resol’nare, but even the teachings of ‘do no harm’ have their limits. When an enemy has hurt children is when Obi-Wan began to ignore the rules.

The Force feels stranger and stranger as he approaches the bar, but the more he tries to focus on it, the more the feeling fades. Not exactly a promising sign.

The inside of the bar is just as dingy and dilapidated as the outside, and is filled to the brim with off-duty scrappers. He sticks out somewhat with his Mandalorian armor, but there are enough offworlders that he isn’t terribly obvious. 

“Hello, welcome to Scrapper’s Delight, would you like a seat at the bar, or a booth?” Obi-Wan hears and looks down. A redheaded tween in an apron thrown over a scrapper’s uniform four sizes too big is looking at him with a tired gaze and a flimsipad. Seeing such a young face in a place such as this feels like a punch to the gut from the Force, which is practically screaming with the injustice of it all, urging Obi-Wan to take him in. The tiny waiter is visibly bruised and bloody in several places, and a patch of his hair is coated in what appears to be engine oil. He reeks of cheap cooking and starfighter fuel. Obi-Wan is more than a little taken aback by being faced with a haggard child working in a divebar in conjunction with his instincts going haywire, so he flounders for a half a second.

“B-booth is fine,” he gets out, and is led to an empty corner booth that can only be described as  _ sticky _ . 

“One moment, please,” the kid tells him, before moving across the bar to busk the table of a large group of workers whose shifts just started. Obi-Wan scans the bar for a tall, blond human with a tattoo on his chin, but he’s out of luck. He realizes he can’t sidle up to the bar for information without either looking like an idiot, or making the kid look bad at his job, and he mentally curses himself. 

“May I take your order?” the kid asks, diligently appearing at his table fast enough to startle him, which is not an easy feat. Obi-Wan tries not to rudely stare at the fresh blaster scar under his ear, or the still swollen gash across his nose. 

“Water, and a question,” he says, hoping to pique the child’s natural sense of curiosity. Instead, he gets a shifty gaze, and sees the tween aim himself towards the door.

“You a bounty hunter?” he asks, and Obi-Wan realizes he needs to assuage this kid’s fears immediately or he’ll make a run for it.

“Yes. I’m tracking a bounty. Adult human, blond, skinny, face tattoo. Have you seen him?” he asks, emphasizing the  _ adult _ part of his description. What a child could have possibly done to fear having a bounty posted on his head, Obi-Wan has no idea. Whatever memories drudged up by the talk of bounties makes the Force go unsettled and wild around the child and leaves a metal tang in Obi-Wan’s mouth. Something changes in the kid’s face at the description of the target, and he turns away from the door to face Obi-Wan with his arms crossed in front of him.

“Are you going to kill him?” he asks, and Obi-Wan has no idea how to respond to that, so he tells the truth.

“If he resists, yes. He’s a terrible man, little one,” he says, and the kid nods.

“Good. That good-for-nothing hut’uun has hurt too many people to get away with it. His name is Inera, he’s the yard’s assistant supervisor, and you aren’t gonna be able to take him in alive,” the kid says, all matter-of-fact. The Mando’a insult makes Obi-Wan smile under his helmet.

“I figured. Could you perhaps point me in the right direction?” he asks, and he knows his job has gotten a lot shorter by the anger that flares in the kid’s eyes.

“I can do you one better. I’ll show ya, just let me get out of this apron,” he says, and disappears off into the kitchen.

“Kiet, I'm going on break!” The kid yells before walking out to join Obi-Wan. A grizzled rigger makes a lewd comment about the company the child keeps in Huttese, but Obi-Wan is beaten to the metaphorical punch.

“E chu ta!” The tween snarls so violently that he makes the man flinch and then get berated by his friends for being scared of a child. Obi-Wan says nothing as the young redhead puts up his hood and holds open the door for him. They immediately walk towards the distant cranes and glowing ship cutters in the scrapyard itself. The silence irks him, something in the Force burrowing under his skin. It’s been building for a while but is so intangible and fleeting that he finds himself glad of his own shielding.

“Do you speak Mando’a?” he asks, trying to find something to fill the dead air between them. The kid looks over his shoulder and squints before quickening his pace.

“Bits and pieces,” is all he answers. Obi-Wan changes the subject, sensing a sore spot.

“What’s your job?” he asks, getting the feeling that he didn’t get injured from working in a greasy spoon. The kid stops in his tracks and whips around. Something jagged and hurting rears its head in the Force.

“Why? Why do you care?” he snaps. Obi-Wan holds up his hands.

“You remind me of myself at your age, is all. I want to know why you are alone,” he says, trying to keep a calm tone. If he loses the kid now, he loses both his lead, and contact with someone who is starting to look more and more like a live wire in the Force. The child doesn’t speak, but a heavy grief settles over his face and swamps the pair of them.

“Everyone died. Now it’s just me. Are you happy, now? Can we continue?” he asks, shuttering himself and his pain off, and Obi-Wan leaves it for now. They trudge on, closing in on the massive crane, behind which sits a shabby-looking building. The kid is definitely connected with whatever messy state the Force is in. He’s unquestionably force-sensitive.

“Why do I remind you of yourself?” He almost misses the kid say. Obi-Wan sighs.

“There was a war. My teacher didn’t want to help. I did. So he left me there,” he says. He isn’t bitter, never really was in the first place, but he’s still saddened by it. The kid says nothing, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. They near the building. The kid stops walking far before they reach the doorway, hugging his arms around his torso for warmth. Before Obi-Wan can thank him, he speaks.

“Let me help you draw him out. If we’re smart, we can catch him by surprise,” he says, and Obi-Wan frowns under his helmet.

“I do not want to put you in danger-”

“I’ve fought in a war too, alright?” the kid cuts in, making Obi-Wan’s head spin. The only war in Bracca’s recent history that the kid could have possibly fought in was the Clone Wars. Either the Separatists had recruited a lot younger than they thought, or-

“I know the risks. I want to help you get this guy. I’ve… I know what he does, I’ve seen it, he’s hurt some of the kids who work the yard. I started talking with offworlders in hopes that someone would collect on his bounty,” he says. Obi-Wan sighs. If his hunch is correct, the child is definitely well equipped enough to deal with a situation like this. It still makes his skin crawl.

“Are you certain-”    
  
“Yes! I’m completely sure. I’ll knock on his door, draw him outside, and you can jump him. I’ll… get out of the way as soon as the bolts start flying,” he says, and Obi-Wan doesn’t believe that last part for a second, but he nods. The kid motions him to stand huddled behind one of the crane legs, and approaches the door.

“I-Inera? It’s- it’s Cal, the new kid. Can you help me with something?” The kid, apparently called Cal, stutters loudly outside the door, making his voice sound hesitant and unsure. He appears confident until the door shoots open and a hand yanks him inside, slamming the door shut again before he can even shout for help. Obi-Wan immediately sprints towards the door. Right before he barrels through the door, he hears a saber ignite.

There, standing above the steaming corpse of Inera, is Cal. His lightsaber throws the room in a cold blue light, and casts his terror-filled face in stark relief against the dark. Cal twists around to face him, saber extended as if to fend off another assailant. Obi-Wan raises his hands to the ceiling, not wanting to pose any threat.

“Easy, padawan,” he says, and Cal flinches.

“You-you know I’m a Jedi! You’re going to turn me in to the Empire!” he says, eyes flicking back and forth from Obi-Wan to the nearest window. There’s a fresh gash through his eyebrow, and blood streams down the side of his young face

“No, I won’t turn you in-”

“Prove it!” he says, and without a moment’s hesitation Obi-Wan reaches up and slides his helmet off before letting it fall to the floor. A series of expressions cross the padawan’s face and flash in the force: shock, denial, hope, horror, disgust. The last two come as he looks down at the corpse at his feet. He looks back up.

“Master Kenobi?”

Obi-Wan nods, tries to offer a comforting smile.

“Yes, padawan. You can put your lightsaber down, Cal,” he says gently, and Cal quickly turns off his saber and drops it as if burned, plunging the pair into near darkness. The only light in the room is coming from the open door and the half-shuttered window.

“I’m- I killed him, I’m sorry, Jedi aren't supposed to kill. He came at me and I panicked, I’m so sorry-”

“Shhh, it’s alright. I know, you’re okay Cal. You protected yourself, you did nothing wrong,” he soothes, dropping most of his shields to let Cal know he was being sincere. Cal flinches, and then looks at him in disbelief before stumbling forwards and falling into Obi-Wan’s arms.

“I’m s-sorry! I d-idn’t wa-nt to k-kill him! H-he scar-ed me!” he blubbers out, and Obi-Wan gently lowers them to the floor, not loosening his grip on Cal in the slightest. He rubs a gauntleted hand up and down Cal’s back, just as he used to do for Anakin when he was a youngling.

“It’s alright, padawan. You’re alright,” he assures him, and the boy completely falls to pieces. His messy shields drop, confirming everything Obi-Wan had hoped and feared. He hoped that he wasn’t one of the last two Jedi, and he isn’t. This strong child had survived the same as him, but he had gone through everything Obi-Wan had been afraid of - his Master died in his arms, leaving him stranded on this cruel planet to fend for himself.

“M-Ma-ster T-Tapal  _ died! _ H-He’s gone. The Iron Ba-Battalion is… g-one,” Cal stutters out, even now trying to give a field report. Obi-Wan hushes him, holding him closer to his chest. Blood from Cal’s headwound coats the front of Obi-Wan’s chestplate. In this moment he swears he isn’t going to let anything else happen to Cal. He’s been through more than enough tragedy for one lifetime.

They sit together on the dingy floor for so long that Obi-Wan loses track. Long enough for the night to soften into the gray light of pre-dawn. Cal finally begins to calm down, both his tears and in the Force. 

“Is… anyone else?” Cal croaks into Obi-Wan’s shoulder, and the man sighs.

“It’s just me. Yoda survived, but… it’s just me,” he says, not missing the way that the kid holds onto him all the tighter for it.

The Force is practically singing around them. It helps push him to finally admit what he was feeling from the moment he first laid eyes on Cal in the diner.

“I would like to take you on as my padawan, if you will have me. If not, I would still like to take you away from here, Cal,” he says, feeling woefully underprepared for a second padawan, but certain of his path in the Force like he hasn’t been in years. Cal needs guidance, it’s a miracle that the boy has remained as firmly entrenched in the light as he is after everything he went through. Cal detaches himself from Obi-Wan and looks up at him with earnest, tear-filled eyes.

“You want  _ me _ as your padawan?” he asks, and Obi-Wan nods. Cal’s eyes tear up and he endeavors to crush Obi-Wan to death in a hug.

“Please. Please, Master Kenobi,” Cal croaks out. Obi-Wan runs a hand through his hair, trying to calm the child again.

“Call me Obi-Wan, dear one.”

* * *

“Where are we going, Master- Mister O- Ben?” Cal stutters, trying to juggle temple formality, Obi-Wan’s name, and his alias simultaneously. Obi-Wan smiles underneath his helmet and ruffles the child’s hair as they walk up the  _ Rover _ ’s ramp with all of Cal’s possessions in a small rucksack.

“We, my young student, are headed to Kwenn Space Station,” he answers, crossing the cabin to sit in the pilot’s seat and prepare the ship for takeoff. “Place your things in whichever room you’d like. The middle one is taken, but the other two are negotiable,” Obi-Wan says as they lift up off of Bracca’s surface. Good riddance.

Cal walks into the cockpit and straps himself into the passenger’s seat.

“Why’re we headed there? To turn in the bounty?” Cal asks him as Obi-Wan steers them out of atmo.

“Yes, in part. And also to meet up with the rest of our group. Artoo, prep the jump to hyperspace,” he calls, and the droid chips an affirmative.

“Woah, you have an astromech? And… I thought we were the only ones?” Cal asks, brows furrowed. The gash on his brow has finally stopped bleeding, but it will undoubtedly scar.

“Cal, meet R2D2. R2, be nice. And we’re the only Jedi, but not the only survivors of that day.” Obi-Wan says. R2 beeps hello and Cal waves, but he turns back to Obi-Wan with a frown.

“What do you mean?”

Obi-Wan engages the hyperdrive and turns to face his new padawan.

"My Commander, Cody, saved my life. He got me off of Utapau and helped me regroup with Yoda and Bail Organa," Obi-Wan says. Cal's eyes go wide.

"The clones betrayed us, Master Obi-Wan. You can't trust him!" Cal tells him, and Obi-Wan's heart breaks a little more. He leans forwards and takes Cal's hands in his, needing him to understand.

"When Palpatine issued Order 66, Cody didn't turn, he didn't obey. I don't know what made the vode turn, but whatever it was, it was  _ not _ their fault. I could feel the bonds I had with my men turn cold. Did you experience the same?" Obi-Wan asks, and Cal hesitantly nods. 

"I couldn't feel them, under all of their thoughts about… about killing me and Master Tapal." Cal says, and Obi-Wan nods.

"My men would  _ never  _ turn on me if they had a choice, even if the Chancellor ordered it, and something tells me the Iron Battalion felt the same about you," Obi-Wan says, but instead of comforting Cal, it only seems to hurt him. His padawan removes his hands from Obi-Wan and folds in on himself.

"Master Tapal blew up the  _ Albedo Brave _ to mask our escape. I helped him. All of my men are dead," he says, and Obi-Wan stands up and crouches in front of his chair, once more taking Cal's small hands in his.

"You did what you had to do to survive. That's what you and I are, Cal - we're survivors. And I know for a fact, if your men were themselves, they would have gladly died for you. I know that because if my men were themselves, they would have done the same for me. They wouldn't want you to blame yourself, and neither would Master Tapal," he says. He can tell that Cal doesn't believe him, but he nods anyways. Obi-Wan will just have to keep reminding him, which he's more than willing to do. Obi-Wan stands up.

"Now, come on, let's get you patched up, padawan," Obi-Wan says, walking to the fresher to grab medical supplies. Cal sits on the counter while Obi-Wan doctors his wounds, starting with the forehead wound. They didn't put bacta on within the first thirty minutes, so it will scar. Obi-Wan then begins to clean the painful-looking gash on his nose, and various other cuts he received on his face. 

"Did you get these from the kitchen?"

Cal offers a weak smile.

"Nah, I only work evenings there. I work- work _ ed _ days as a rigger," he says, and Obi-Wan frowns. From what he read of the Bracca shipyards, riggers have the toughest jobs, climbing to the most precarious places on a ship to find the good salvage. 

"Wasn't that the most dangerous occupation?" Obi-Wan asks. Cal smiles, proud of himself.

"Yup. They especially liked to have us younger folk work the rigs. We could get into places nobody else could," Cal says with satisfaction on his face. Obi-Wan bites his tongue, not wanting to chastise Cal considering he's the victim of child labor, rather than the perpetrator.

"I see," he settled on saying. Cal doesn't seem to pick up on the tension, and instead recounts how he was near an old fuel cell when it exploded, throwing him about and scarring up his face. He doesn't mention the blaster scar on his neck, and Obi-Wan doesn't ask.

"There, all done. I don't know about you, but I'm famished. How about you and I eat breakfast, hmm?" Obi-Wan asks and Cal's eyes light up. He quickly nods and slides off the counter before walking into the common room/kitchen. Obi-Wan enjoys cooking, but all he brought are some food rations that they'd managed to scrounge up on Kwenn Station. He frowns before realizing he has the dry ingredients for hetikleyc caf. He knows preteens and caf are a horrible mix, but he remembers how exciting it was to be 'adult enough' to drink caf, and decides any hyperactivity is worth it.

"Do you drink caf?" He asks Cal. Cal's eyes go big.

"...Yes?" Cal answers, and Obi-Wan has to fight off a laugh as he sets out two ration packs before going about making spicy caf for them both, remembering to liberally add cream and sugar to Cal's. When he finishes, Cal is already at the table, practically vibrating with excitement. When Obi-Wan sets the ration pack in front of him, he immediately rips into the veg-meat like he's starving. Knowing how expensive food was on Bracca, he probably is. Obi-Wan retrieves another ration and slides it towards Cal, who looks at it with wide eyes before ripping into that one too. After demolishing his food, he sets his sights on the caf.

"Be careful - it's spicy," Obi-Wan warns, and Cal turns his gaze on him.

"Spicy?"

Obi-Wan smiles.

"It's an old Mandalorian recipe, hetikleyc caf. Don't worry, I put plenty of cream and sugar in yours. You only get one cup, though," Obi-Wan says, and Cal nods before taking a sip. His brows raise when the spices kick in, and he promptly takes another. And another. He then tries slowing down a bit, but isn't overly successful. His pleasure is small in the Force, but for what Cal has gone through, any happiness is better than none. It brings a smile to his face as Obi-Was savors his own cup of caf.

After Cal drains his cup, he sets it down and looks Obi-Wan straight in the face. 

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," he says, and it feels like he's thanking him for a lot more than just the caf. Obi-Wan's smile goes gentle.

"You're welcome, Cal."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love feral garbage child Cal. He's only been on Bracca a few months at this point, but I feel like the death of his Master and the lack of a response from the council would have made him really jaded and depressed in the aftermath. So, he turned into a bone-weary little menace, who can curse in like 5 different languages and knows his way around the yard really well.  
> Mando'a Translations:  
> Hut'uun - Coward, worst possible insult  
> Hetikleyc - Spicy. Hetikleyc caf is the invention of another fic writer whose name I can't remember for the life of me. I'll scroll through the jangobi tag and hopefully insert it here if I find it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Right after he sits down on the bed for a moment, someone knocks at the door. Cody doesn’t hold back his groan. If it's the neighbors angry with Luke’s noise again, their attitude is definitely going to set him off for the second time. He slides his helmet on with one hand and stomps over to the door, baby in tow.
> 
> “Look, I know the baby’s loud, alright?” he hisses, opening the door to see a small redheaded kid staring at him with wide eyes. He wasn’t the trandoshan next door, that’s for certain. The kid swallows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vode An SLAPS, y'all should listen to it. Also, at the part where Cody assumes that Jedi can't love - he's being an unreliable narrator considering how little he knows of Jedi doctrine. Just wanted to clarify that his misconceptions are not my own views on the Jedi.

“Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an.

Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode an.

Bal kote, darasuum kote,

Jorso'ran kando a tome-” Cody sings tiredly, pating Luke on the back as he wails away. It doesn’t seem to be helping, hence the lullaby that isn’t a lullaby. It’s the only song Cody knows by heart.

He tries not to think about what he’s singing. It makes his chest feel tight, but he ignores that. It had helped Luke calm down minutely when he first started, and that means he’s going to keep doing it. He’s almost grateful for the task to focus on - before Luke started crying, Cody had just been lying there on the too-empty bed, staring at the ceiling and fuming.

It was a broadcast that set him off this time, one done by a clone intelligence officer offering a reward for Obi-Wan's capture. Obviously, they hadn't phased out all of the clones yet, but this message being relayed by a clone felt like a slap in the face. Cody's glad Obi-wan wasn't around to see it, to see such disloyalty to the Jedi and everything they fought for. It would have made him sad again.

Cody, though? Cody’s still mad. He’s never considered himself an especially angry man, but this? The betrayal of the vode? It doesn’t make _sense_. They shouldn’t have believed the Jedi to be traitors. It’s a lie, it has to be, because Obi-Wan would never. He fought and suffered and bled for the Republic just as the vode did. There wasn’t a single doubt in Cody’s entire force-damned mind over Obi-Wan’s loyalties. He’d thought the 212th felt the same.

Obi-Wan had said that the vode felt off as soon as the order was issued. He claimed to feel the bonds he’d forged with his men to go dead quiet, like they were drowned out. The little Obi-Wan could recall about the battalion’s overall force signature before he passed out was it being ‘ice cold and ruthless’. It was like a flip had been switched, he’d said. Somehow, the vode weren’t themselves.

 _Good soldiers follow orders_ echoes in his head.

None of it makes any fucking sense.

All of a sudden, Luke calms. Cody’s ears are still ringing and he’s still mad, but he continues to sing softly as Luke starts mouthing on his pauldron. He ignores how unsanitary it is, just grateful for the reprieve. He can finally hear himself think again, thank kark.

Right after he sits down on the bed for a moment, someone knocks at the door. Cody doesn’t hold back his groan. If it's the neighbors angry with Luke’s noise again, their attitude is definitely going to set him off for the second time. He slides his helmet on with one hand and stomps over to the door, baby in tow.

“Look, I know the baby’s loud, alright?” he hisses, opening the door to see a small redheaded kid staring at him with wide eyes. He wasn’t the trandoshan next door, that’s for certain. The kid swallows.

“Ob- Ben said this was the room?” he asks, voice clearly unstable. Cody has no idea why… okay, that's a _lie_ , he knows full well that Obi-Wan likes picking up stragglers and sob stories, hell, he was holding one of them right now, but he didn’t expect him to find another one this soon. They’d have to share a room on the _Rover_ if they had a new member to their little ragtag team, and they’d also have to change their cover story. Cody decides that none of it matters as his eyes trace the prominent, fresh scars on the child’s face, and steps aside to let the sad looking kid inside. He has blood crusted in his hairline, and is littered with freshly-bandaged injuries. Cody also doesn’t miss how he’s trying to make himself as small of a target as possible as he slinks towards the only chair in the room. He doesn’t think about any of that. If he does, he’ll just get mad again.

“Yes, this is the room. My name is Cody, but I go by Kote Tano now. This little monster is Luke, and his sister Leia is asleep,” he recounts, slipping off his helmet after noticing the frightened look he gets whenever Cody faces him. He can’t decide if taking it off makes the kid’s fears better, or worse. He isn’t sure the kid knows, either, by the look on his face. He sits on the bed, not wanting to loom, and cocks his head at the kid.

“Got a name, kid?”

The tween nods, but takes a minute to answer. 

“Cal Kestis. Master Obi-Wan wants to take me on as his new padawan,” he says, looking down, and Cody can feel his eyebrows raise. Obi-Wan had miraculously found another survivor. Cal is obviously traumatised by whatever he went through, and suddenly his fear at Cody’s appearance makes a lot more sense. His heart twists at the way Cal continues to shrink in on himself the longer Cody takes to answer.

“Welcome aboard then, Cal. Pleasure to meet you, though I wish the circumstances were different,” he says in his kindest voice. Cal looks shocked at the acceptance for a second before breaking out in the smallest of smiles. As soon as it appears, though, his smile fades.

“You don’t even want to ask what happened? Why I’m alo- why Master Obi-Wan picked me up?”

Cody shakes his head. 

“No. You don’t owe me an explanation. I promise I’ll do my damnedest, uh, my darndest to protect you, just like these two. They’re Force-sensitive as well,” he says, and Cal perks up a little at the answer, peering over curiously at the baby in his arms. Cody gets up, and he doesn’t miss the flinch at his actions. He mentally curses and vows to broadcast his motions better. Even if Cal likes him, his familiar face undoubtedly brings up bad memories.

He goes and puts a sleepy Luke into the collapsable crib they’d bought for both him and Leia, and stops by his own room to grab his things and condense them with Obi-Wan’s in the main room. Sharing space doesn’t bother him in the least if it means Cal can have a good night’s rest.

“Feel free to take a shower, as well,” he says, and Cal’s eyes go wide. Cody’s heart hurts at the thought that a shower, of all things, is enough to get the child excited. Cal quickly nods and disappears into the bathroom. Cody trudges over to the kitchenette to make up whatever passes for complimentary caf, and decides to start the tea kettle after noticing some tea bags as well. Jedi loved leaf-water, for whatever reason. A little pick-me-up would do both Cal and Obi-Wan good. 

Cody really hadn’t expected the Jedi to get back this soon, and part of him is glad for the regained company. Being alone has obviously been shit for his head, judging by his demeanor tonight.

As soon as Cody takes a sip of his caf, Obi-Wan give his knock on the door. Cody, again not wanting to wake the children, drops his mental shields to give Obi-Wan the all clear.

The door opens to a very haggard looking Obi-Wan, already removing his helmet as Artoo rolls inside right behind him. As soon as the door’s firmly closed, Obi-Wan turns and gives Cody a dazzling smile. He does his best to return it.

“Hello. I assume you’ve made Cal’s acquaintance,” he says, already shucking off his armor as Artoo rumbles past to go and check on the children in their room. It serves Obi-Wan right, not being used to armor yet, considering he wore full body armor on a grand total of one campaign, which Cody hadn’t even been present for. Obi-Wan must overhear him through his lowered shields, as he gives a small frown. Cody grins. He’s not apologizing for finding happiness in his friend’s displeasure if it means he’s finally well-protected. It only took the end of the war.

“Yes. I also put the kettle on, if you want any leaf-juice. How’d the hunt go?” he asks, and Obi-Wan lets out a little grunt at the mention of tea, halting with removing his armor and drifting over to the kettle with all his armor from the waist down still on. Cody rolls his eyes.

“Inera ended up dead, but the bounty paid just as much. I cannot say I was sad to see him go. Cal was the only ray of sunshine on that miserable planet,” Obi-Wan says, fixing a cup of tea for both Cal and himself. Cody cocks his head.

“‘Ended up’ dead? How?”

Obi-Wan’s face sours into a scowl.

“I let Cal get too close. The child had to defend himself.”

That explains the scowl, Obi-Wan is undoubtedly angry at himself over it.

“Speaking of children, do we have three foundlings, now?” Cody asks, wanting to get their cover story straight. Obi-Wan nods, joining him in his seat on the bed, now nursing a cup of tea.

“Yes, I do believe that is the most believable option to go with. Kato might think it strange that we picked up another foundling so quickly when we go and buy Cal a blaster tomorrow, but no one else should question it.”

“A blaster?” Cody asks.

Obi-Wan reacts by raising a tired brow. Fair enough, lightsabers aren’t exactly subtle.

“Can I keep my lightsaber?” a small voice pipes up, and they turn to see Cal, hair soaking wet, fresh out of the shower. Obi-Wan smiles.

“Of course, young one. I still have mine. It’s just they are quite memorable weapons and we are trying to stay under the radar as much as possible for the children’s sake,” he says, obviously playing on the young Jedi’s sense of duty. While the kid still appears conflicted, Obi-Wan floats a cup of tea over to him. Cal’s eyes nearly bug out of his head for some reason as he plucks the cup from the air. Cody has no idea why. Obi-Wan tends to lean heavily on the Force when he’s especially tired, which he can read in his face plain as day. 

“Master Obi-Wan, isn’t that a major misuse of the Force?” he asks, cupping the tea between his palms and staring at it reverently before taking a sip. The kid practically melts after he does, most of the tension sloughing off of his shoulders. Cody will never understand Jedi and their leaf-water. Obi-Wan sighs.

“I think… before the end, we got too focused on the little things. So long as we’re alone, I see nothing wrong with you nor I using the Force for small things. Of course, that is only if you are comfortable with doing so, Cal,” he says, in as gentle a tone as Cody has ever heard. Cal, still relaxed from the tea, hesitantly nods.

“That’s alright with me, Master,” he says. “I think I’m ready for bed now, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course. Yours is the room next to the children’s. Cody and I will spend the night in here. Do not hesitate to bother us if you need anything.” Obi-Wan says. Cal nods and disappears into his room. Obi-Wan sighs and puts down his empty mug before pinching his brow and then going about removing his armor. Cody waits for Obi-Wan to speak up first, practically able to hear the gears turning in his head despite not being a Jedi.

“I am afraid, Cody. I am afraid I will fail him like I failed- like before.” he says, voice catching before he can utter Anakin’s name. He’s struggling with his greave, getting more and more frustrated as his shaking fingers scramble for the latches. Cody wordlessly slides from the bed and kneels in front of his comrade, placing his hands overtop Obi-Wan’s to still them. The Jedi’s breath hitches and he covers his face with his hands, letting Cody first remove his left greave, and then work on the right. Cody takes a moment to gather his thoughts.

“Sir- Obi-Wan… I know that you’re scared of hurting him, or messing up, but… I think all he wants is for someone to care about him, to give him love,” he says, and squeezes Obi-Wan’s knee before he can speak up, and then begins removing his friend’s boots. “Now, I know you like to think you’re above all that, but you aren’t. You cared for us, just like you care for him, and just like you cared for Anakin. So long as you make sure he _knows_ he has people who care for him, people who he loves and who love him, people that he can always turn to, history... won’t repeat itself,” he finishes with his stilted speech, and with the boots. He doesn’t _do_ comfort very well, only ever showing his softer side to Rex during the particularly bad times, but he’s willing to bare this part of himself if it means that Obi-Wan will be alright. He trusts his friend, unconditionally.

Obi-Wan is looking at him strangely, as if seeing him for the first time. They both ignore the tears in the Jedi’s eyes. Before Cody can stand up, Obi-Wan gently grabs his shoulders. He guides their foreheads together and closes his eyes. Cody’s breath catches at the intimacy - he hasn’t shared a kov’nyn with anyone other than Rex after his brother had a close brush with death. He lets his eyes flutter shut and just enjoys the contact until Obi-Wan draws back. Tears are finally streaming down his face, but he’s smiling - Cody is too.

“What did I ever do to deserve a friend such as you?” he mutters, almost to himself. Cody sputters, unable to respond.

* * *

“You need some new clothes, kid. Let’s hit up a secondhand shop afterwards and get you some, yeah?” Cody asks, trying to keep Cal distracted as they make their way to Kato’s. The kid is flighty as hell when separated from Obi-Wan. As much as Cody wants to indulge him, Obi-Wan was so exhausted that he didn’t even stir when Cody did, so he had decided to let the Jedi sleep, as well as the twin terrors and their guardian droid, who were all blissfully snoozing away. He left a note, so they were fine.

Cal perks up at his suggestion.

“Can I get some armor, too?” he asks, hope in his voice. Cody nearly stops in his tracks. Never in a million years would he have thought a Jedi would volunteer themselves for armor. Rex wouldn’t hav- _will not_ believe it when Cody tells him. When, not if.

“Usually, Ben’s side of the family wouldn’t dream of wearing armor. Am I hearing you right?” he asks, a joking tone to his voice. Cal’s smile flickers and goes out. 

“My… teacher didn’t wear a chestplate. It was a mistake.”

Cody scowls at the galaxy beneath his helmet. Damn the Emperor. Ever so slowly, he places a hand on Cal’s shoulder, giving him more than enough time to move away. He doesn’t, but he does stop walking and stare into Cody’s helm.

“We can get you the best beskar’gam on the market, kid. And as long as I’m around, Ben is going to be wearing _his_ beskar’gam whether he likes it or not. Force knows the idiot needs it. Now, Kato’s is just up ahead, would you like to come in, or stay-”

“I want to come in. They’ll be my blasters, after all,” he says, raising his eyebrow with a fresh scar in a move that’s nearly identical to Obi-Wan. It’s very cute. Cody scoffs.

“Alright, verd’ika, let’s go,” he says, and they enter the store.

“Kato, you in?” he asks, and hears a commotion from the back.

“Kote! Me'copaani? Oh, hello, little one! My name is Kato Oarcy,” he announces cheerfully, shooting Cody a confused look. He places a comforting hand on Cal’s shoulder, not that the gutsy padawan needs it. He’s already pulled himself up to his full height.

“Ni copaani tracy’uure, gedet’ye,” he pipes up, in perfect Mando’a no less. Cody shouldn’t really be surprised - the 501st and 212th had taught Ahsoka Mando’a after all, but Cal is so young that thinking of him as a Commander feels all kinds of wrong. Kato looks at Cody for confirmation.

“‘Lek, we were thinking an ELG-3A-”

“Actually, I want twin DC-17s and a DC-15S. Some droid poppers too. That is, uh, if you have any?” he trails off questioningly at the end, seeming to cringe at seeing Kato’s blatant surprise with the ease Cal speaks of GAR weaponry. Cody sighs under his helmet, and gives Cal’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. 

“Cal, you know we aren’t expecting you to come on any bounties with us, we just wanted to make sure you had a hold-out blaster-”

“That’s bantha fodder, and you know it! I’m more than qualified!”

“You’re also thirteen.”

“And so are you!” he snaps back, making Cody want to bludgeon himself to death on the nearest wall. Maybe they’re lucky and Kato went deaf for two seconds. He looks up at Kato, who is squinting at them confusedly. Yeah, no way he missed that slipup. He steers Cal away from the front desk with little more than an ‘excuse us for a moment’ and sets his sights back on the pre-teen, who is now scowling and crossing his arms, scrunching up his poncho in the process.

“Cal, I’m twenty six, you know this. It isn’t the same. You’re still young-”

“But my _old_ family took me on missions all the time!”

“Your old family was wrong about a lot of things! Ben will be the first to tell you that, if you ask!” he hisses back, and watches as Cal’s baby Jedi foundations are shaken to their core by the revelation that Obi-Wan Kenobi isn’t perfect, and neither were the Jedi. Kark, Cody had always teased Obi-Wan about being anything but the ‘Perfect Jedi’. He had no idea it was this bad though, how devoted people were to the idea of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master. He glances over to Kato and sees the man blatantly staring at Cal. He follows his gaze, only to see that Cal’s lightsaber is both attached to his hip and completely visible because of his childish pouting. Cody exhales quickly at the sight and makes the sign for ‘at attention’. Cal immediately complies, only to look at Cody, likely read every panicked thought in his head, and blanch.

“Kote, there you are!” he hears, and turns to see Obi-Wan bluster into the shop with both babies in a double sling. Cody nearly sags with relief. He pauses for a full second as Cody thinks HE SAW CAL’S SABER AND KNOWS I’M THIRTEEN as loudly as possible, hoping he picks it up. He’ll know what to do. The Jedi then immediately crosses over, sidles up to Cody, and gives him a casual kov’nyn. He tries not to startle at the public intimacy, knowing that Obi-Wan has to have _some_ reason for doing what he’s doing, and briefly returns it. It likely resembles the fleeting kov’nyne he’d seen between the few members of the Cuy’val Dar who were bonded. At least, he thinks that’s what Obi-Wan is going for. 

“I… worried when you did not leave a note,” Obi-Wan says in a tone low enough to seem private, but loud enough to be overheard. Cody had left his note plastered right on the door in plain view. He trusts his friend, knowing there’s a reason for playing it up.

“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking when I took Cal to get a blaster. I… shit, I would have lost it if you did that,” he replies, not lying even in the slightest. Obi-Wan develops that angle he gets to his helmet when he’s smiling, and Cody can hear the mirth in his words. Kriffing _hells_ is Obi-Wan a good actor.

“I may have broken a vase with the Force when I noticed,” he replies, as blatant as can be. Cody trusts his judgement, but he has no idea what angle Obi-Wan is aiming for, other than happily married, Force help him. Cody glances over at Kato and Obi-Wan follows, exaggeratingly freezing upon seeing the Mirialan man, as if he completely forgot where he was when he saw Cody.

“K-Kato, um, hello-” he stammers, something Cody has never heard him do once in the over three years he’s known the eloquent Jedi. Something softens in Kato’s face at Obi-Wan’s nervousness, and he uncrosses his arms.

“Your secret is safe with me.”

“Excuse me? Secret, whatever could you mean by-”

“You and the kid are Jedi, Ben. Kote is a Kaminoan clone. Trust me, it's alright. I don’t care who my friends were in the past, only who they are now. I swear on my honor, your secret is safe with me,” he replies, voice heavy with sincerity. Obi-Wan releases all of the tension from his body and leans on Cody at hearing Kato’s promise. Cody is immensely grateful for his helmet, because he likely resembles a Devaronian with how hard he’s blushing. Obi-Wan is practically glued to his side, and he’s encircled in his arms as the Jedi leans his helmet on Cody’s pauldron.

“Thank you, Kato. You… you have no idea how much this means to us. We thought the regulations were painful enough, but then the Emperor… we could only save each other and take the twins and run. After I took the Resol’nare, I found Cal on Bracca, thank the Force, and he’s only the third survivor of the Purge I know of, counting myself. I’m… getting side tracked, I apologize. _Thank you_ ,” he finishes, leaning forwards to offer his hand in a warrior’s clasp. Kato returns it, shaking his head. 

“There is no need to apologize, my friend. Your struggles are valid. I should be thanking you three for your service,” he replies, and Cody is shocked by the truth he senses in the statement. No one has ever thanked him for what he did, he was just a clone, after all. Cody offers his own arm, and Kato grasps firm.

“You’re a good man, Kato.”

“Thank you,” Cal pipes up, offering his own skinny arm, which Kato gently clasps with his beskar-clad trunk of a forearm.

“Now, if I’m recalling correctly, you were wanting two DC-17s and a DC-15S, as well as some EMP grenades. Is that okay with you two?” he asks, looking to both Obi-Wan and Cody. Cal whips around and gives Obi-Wan the porg eyes, but neither of them say anything. After a silent conversation, Cal huffs and turns back towards the desk.

“It is fine, but he is not going on solo bounties until he is at least 16,” he replies, and Cody guesses it’s the best they’ll get. He’d really rather Cal wait but he also understands how inpatient Jedi are. Kato nods and goes into the back of the store. He returns with the guns, placing them on the table in front of Cal. The kid immediately snatches them up and inspects them for flaws or signs of counterfeit. Somebody taught him well. The sight of his knobby elbows as he looks down the sightline of the 15S is a stark reminder of just how damned young he is.

Cody bites his lip. When he’d said the Jedi weren’t perfect earlier, he was specifically thinking about how tiny Cal was, and the fact that he’d been allowed in active combat scenarios at such a tender age. Ahsoka, too. He remembered watching her grow up so fast had _hurt_ , more than he’d expected it to. She wasn’t even his Commander, but he saw the change through the years. He remembers her first panic attack around Obi-Wan. He remembers when she must have started hiding them.

Cody wonders if they’re going to do the same to Cal, corrupt him in the same manner. He hopes not.

Looking over, Kato has a pained expression on his face as well. Cody wonders if he ever had foundlings of his own. The Mirialan opens his mouth, but closes it again, hesitating.

“We’ll take it,” Cal says, staring up at Kato, who nods and goes about ringing them up. Cody slips him a few extra credit chips when Kato isn’t looking as a thanks. Cal slings the blaster strap over his shoulder and handles the droid poppers with great care. Cody doubts they’ll be fighting many droids in their line of work, so they’re more for the kid’s sake of mind than anything else.

“Vor’e, Kato,” Cody says, and Kato meets his gaze. 

“Ba’gedet’ye, Kote,” he replies, a deep sadness still in his eyes that Cody has to look away from.

* * *

“Cody, may I have a word?”

Cody glances up from where he’s unsuccessfully scanning the net for any information about the Purge and nods, placing the datapad aside. Cal is asleep in his new room on the Rover, as are the twins. Obi-Wan is standing stiffly next to Cody, in a stance he often used while directing troops in battle while on the bridge. Cody gives him his full attention, sensing something is up.

“I… would like to explain my,” he pauses, clearing his throat, “earlier actions. I apologize if I made you at all uncomfortable. When you informed me of the problem, I could sense Kato’s trepidation, but also that he was a, well, a romantic at heart. I decided it best to play up our… relationship, in order to get him to better empathize with our plight. It was effective, but I do apologize nevertheless. If you wish to call off the farce at any time-” Cody holds up his hand, stopping Obi-Wan from continuing. He genuinely doesn’t mind, though perhaps he should. Cody had no problem receiving affections from him, false in nature though they may be. They made him feel like his insides were melting, but they weren’t… bad. Perhaps his _lack_ of a problem with taking on the role of Obi-Wan’s riduur was a problem in and of itself, but he shoves that thought away to be dealt with approximately never.

“I don’t mind at all. It’s likely a more believable cover story than us being brothers with that accent of yours. I trust you, Obi-Wan,” he says, meaning every word. Obi-Wan doesn’t outwardly react, other than the tips of his ears going a dusky pink. He nods once, and opens his mouth as if to say something, only to pause and close it. Cody waits, letting him arrange his thoughts. 

“Good. That is good. I am gla- I am content to hear you are alright with the situation. I am… tired. I wish to retire for the night. Do not worry for the children, I will arise when they start to fuss. Goodnight Comman- Cody,” Obi-Wan says, making a movement as if to fold his hands in his cloak before seeming to remember his attire and crossing his arms instead. He quickly walks out of the room. Cody knows Jedi have always been strange about affection, especially romantic affection, but he had no idea it makes Obi-Wan so uncomfortable. Cody shakes his head, ridding it of thoughts that don’t concern him, and tries to refocus on the datapad. 

He gives up after realizing he’s read the same sentence six times without understanding a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an.  
> Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode an.  
> Bal kote, darasuum kote,  
> Jorso'ran kando a tome - One indomitable heart, Brothers all.  
> We, the wrath of Coruscant, Brothers all.  
> And glory, eternal glory,  
> We shall bear its weight together.  
> Kov'nyn - Keldabe kiss, either a headbutt, or a Mando way to show affection, both romantic and platonic.  
> Me'copaani? - What do you need?  
> Ni copaani tracy’uure, gedet’ye. - I'd like some blasters, please.  
> 'Lek - Yeah. Shortened form of elek, meaning yes.  
> Cyare - Love, dear, beloved, etc  
> Vor'e, Kato - Thanks, Kato  
> Ba'gedet'ye, Kote - You're welcome, Kote
> 
> So I don't have chapter 6 finished yet, but I do have chapter 7 done. After that, I've run out of material and updates will be very sporadic. I might be able to finish chapter 6 by next Friday, I might not. I'm making no promises, so know that from here on out things will become irregular. Thank you all so much for your kind comments, know that I read and cherish every single one! <3
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @/generalekenobi for writing updates and star wars content


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you and Cody really married?” Cal asks, making Obi-Wan butcher his Form III kata as he tries to follow through with his lightsaber.
> 
> “What?” he asks unintelligently as he turns to look at his padawan, who is still working on the Form V kata he had just taught him. He pauses his swing to look at Obi-Wan’s horrified expression and cock his head.
> 
> “Are you and Cody really married?” he repeats, and Obi-Wan’s mouth doesn’t comply for a good three seconds. He finally gets himself under control.
> 
> “Whyever would you think that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! It's been 84 years, sorry about that! I had a death in the family, and some Not Great mental health times, so coupling all of that up with writer's block led to this bigass gap between chapters. I also fell into three fandoms in quick succession (Dragon Age, Witcher, & A:TLA), so there might actually be some non-star wars content coming down the pipeline. This fic will always take precedence, though, so dw about that. Hopefully I won't have another big break like this, but no promises because if this year has taught me anything, it's that it can always get so much worse. On that cheery note, enjoy! This is not my best writing, but at this point I'm so sick of looking at this short, jumbled mess that I'm just throwing it out into the void and hoping that y'all are okay with it.

Obi-Wan awakes in a blind panic. He doesn’t startle, he’s too disciplined for that, but he does need a moment to sort through the wave of terror and realize that none of it is his. He immediately slips from the bed, but doesn’t leave the room before sending a light suggestion to Cody to remain asleep. He can’t help with this, and he’ll just worry himself sick. This is the seventh time in as many nights that Cal has had nightmares. It’s a miracle that he’s only woken the children a grand total of once, but perhaps that is due to them lacking a bond with him. Obi-Wan hasn’t officially opened a training bond between them, but one has already started to form of its own volition, which is a good sign.

What  _ isn’t _ a good sign is the frequency of Cal’s nightmares. They’re leading to a poor quality of sleep, and Obi-Wan is worried for his new padawan. Even Anakin hadn’t struggled this much whe- 

He shoves those thoughts aside.

Cal’s room is barren save for his bed, which he’s currently thrashing about in. Cal is projecting hard - Obi-Wan is getting flashes of a Lasat man and blaster fire and a heart rending sorrow. He sits on the ground next to Cal’s bed and clears his own mind so that he can better support the child. Once he is centered enough, he does his best to signal his own presence, which Cal immediately latches onto. The child moans in remembered agony, and Obi-Wan feels a pang of sadness at the suffering his padawan has gone through. He does his best to project feelings of support and love, as inspired by Cody’s advice, and Cal begins to slow his unconscious movements.

“I am here, Cal. You are all right, young one. I promise no harm will come to you under my watch,” he murmurs, trying to calm Cal both in the Force and through gentle affirmations. This continues on for a few minutes before Cal’s breathing begins to quicken, though his thoughts are calming. All of a sudden, he jerks awake. This is only the second time he’s awoken under Obi-Wan’s watch, and this time he does his best to announce his presence to the now-conscious tween in hopes to keep from scaring him. Cal groggily turns his head and looks to Obi-Wan on the floor. His hair is a mess, and his skin is glistening with sweat.

“Master?”

“Yes, Cal. It’s just me. Are you alright?” he asks, and immediately curses himself for asking such an idiotic question. Of course the child isn’t alright. Cal doesn’t say anything.

“May I come closer?” Obi-Wan asks, not wanting to crowd him. Cal nods, drawing his knees up and holding them close to his chest. Obi-Wan lowers himself to the lumpy mattress and sends a flash of acceptance through their growing bond. Cal hides his face, likely not wanting to show his tears. Obi-Wan had been the exact same at his age, and the thought saddens him. Emotions are healthy, and expressing them is a natural part of being sentient. He vows to be more open with his emotions in the future, in hopes that his padawan will one day feel comfortable to follow suit.

“May I touch you?” he asks, wanting to sweep Cal up, but not wanting to make him uncomfortable. 

“Please,” Cal croaks out. Obi-Wan scooches himself forwards and places an arm around Cal’s hunched form. After a moment, the child leans into him, putting his head on Obi-Wan’s shoulder.

“Do you wish to speak of-”

“No.”

Obi-Wan sighs, but nods.

“Alright, then. Speaking of it does help, though, I swear. I would not be where I am today without having spoken of my dreams with Cody,” he says, only slightly fibbing. He and Cody had shared many a sleepless night with each other as company on the Negotiator, but they have yet to speak of the Purge or of Mustafar. Obi-Wan has become more than proficient at having silent nightmares. Cal makes a questioning noise at the admittance, likely surprised that Obi-Wan is human, too.

“You have nightmares?”

“Yes. War is a horrible thing, and I have suffered with nightmares most of my life.”

Cal looks up at him. His green eyes are wet with tears in the dim light.

“But the Clone Wars only lasted three years…?” he asks in confusion. Obi-Wan gives a smile that he can’t quite keep the bitterness out of. Of course, even recovering from a terrible dream, Cal is sharp enough to pick up on that.

“Do you remember when we first met, and I informed you that my teacher left me in a warzone?”

Cal nods, a furrow between his brows.

“Well, that isn’t exactly the whole story. There was a civil war on a planet called Melida/Daan, a terrible war full of bloodshed and pain. I wished to stay behind to aid a faction called the Young. My master, Qui-Gon Jinn, refused. In rebellion, I left the Order to stay behind, and Master Qui-Gon abandoned me,” he recounts, distantly noting the gasp Cal gives. “Eventually, things worsened and I ended up rejoining the Order, but the things I saw there… never left me. But, that is enough about me. When you are ready, I want to help you work through your problems. Does that sound alright with you?” Obi-Wan asks, needing to check in. Cal hesitates, but nods after a moment. Obi-Wan smiles.

“Good. Now, I have some herbal tea for the especially bad nights, would you like a cup?”

* * *

“Damn it all,” Obi-Wan mutters under his breath, closing the door to their quarters and sliding down to sit on the floor in a defeated slump. He runs his hand through his hair and curses the day he was born.

He’d entered their barren cargo bay in search of a quiet place to meditate while Cal was catching up on his sleep with an afternoon nap, only to find it was already occupied. Cody was in the middle of the hold. Doing pushups. Shirtless. Obi-Wan had skittered to a stop and just stared for a moment, lost in all of that brown skin before Cody paused, obviously picking up on the fact that he had gained an audience. Obi-Wan stuttered the first thing that came to mind: whether Cody wanted tea. Cody  _ hates  _ tea. Obi-Wan knows this. Cody knows Obi-Wan knows this. Practically the entire 212th had known this. Cody seemed to think Obi-Wan was teasing him, thank the Force, and waved him off. Needless to say, he had made a hasty retreat.

Things had been so simple in their old lives. Obi-Wan would never  _ dream _ of violating the GAR regulations by having relations with a subordinate. Cody hadn’t even had civil rights, for kriffs sake, so that was a nightmare of a power imbalance. Obi-Wan had never allowed strong feelings to take root because of how inappropriate it would have been. He simply boxed them up and put them aside, or did his best to shove the pesky emotions into the Force. Now? Now he’s struggling. The affection he’s felt for his comrade has only grown in severity since Cody abandoned his entire way of life with the vode in order to make sure Obi-Wan was safe.

He’s always viewed Cody as his equal, but now that’s more true than ever before. They’re in the same profession, wear the same armor, belong to the same ethnic group, and are raising three children together. They practically act like a married couple even in private, which is working _wonders_ to fuck with his self control. It is so bad that he’s struggling to determine what’s real and what isn’t with how far their cover stories have devolved. Well, Obi-Wan knows for a fact that he himself is genuine with the level of affection he has for his dearest friend. Cody, though? Obi-Wan has  _ no _ idea. It isn’t just the public displays of affection that are messing with his head, either, though instances like Cody’s protectiveness during Obi-Wan’s honor duel are sure contributants. 

Starting with the night they first hugged and ramping up after the kov’nyn Obi-Wan had shared with him in a moment of weakness, Cody has gotten more vocal about his emotions. He’s been stoic and exercised control over his feelings with an iron fist since the day Obi-Wan first met him, and so this softer side of his ex-commander is new territory for them both. It’s not that Obi-Wan thought him incapable of such feelings, not at all, but he never pictured himself being privy to that side of Cody. He didn’t know the trust ran that deep.

Obi-Wan has  _ thoroughly _ fucked himself over by going and developing feelings for Cody. He refuses to endanger their relationship by bringing them up, so in the meantime he’s stuck in a hellish limbo of longing and loneliness. Cody is his closest friend, and confessing his romantic attraction could throw a spanner in the only meaningful relationship left in his life. Obi-Wan will not deprive the children of a guardian over this, a fate he fears would come to pass if he admits his feelings to Cody and they aren’t returned. 

He’s toyed around with the idea of Cody reciprocating, but it’s a risk he isn’t willing to take if it means tearing up their little family they’ve formed.

_ Master? Are we still on for training? _ Cal asks into their fledgling bond. Obi-Wan sighs and flings the door shut on those thoughts to be dealt with much, much later. In the meantime, he has a padawan to train

* * *

“Are you and Cody really married?” Cal asks, making Obi-Wan butcher his Form III kata as he tries to follow through with his lightsaber.

“What?” he asks unintelligently as he turns to look at his padawan, who is still working on the Form V kata he had just taught him. He pauses his swing to look at Obi-Wan’s horrified expression and cock his head.

“Are you and Cody really married?” he repeats, and Obi-Wan’s mouth doesn’t comply for a good three seconds. He finally gets himself under control.

“Whyever would you think that?”

Cal gives him a flat look.

“You have the same surname, sleep in the same bed, share kov’nyne. Basically, you act like the married couples from holodramas,” he replies, and continues his kata. Obi-Wan turns his saber off and plops down on the ground, defeated. Cal looks alarmed at Obi-Wan’s reaction and quickly joins him on the floor. 

“No, we are not married.”

Cal frowns.

“Do you want to be?” 

Obi-Wan lets out a snort at that.

“It doesn’t much matter what  _ I _ want, young one.”

Cal’s frown deepens.

“That isn’t true. What you want should matter, Master. I know you think me and the kids should come first, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be happy. Why  _ not _ try and be happy when we could be discovered and killed at any time?” Cal says blithely. Obi-Wan sighs.

“Cody and I have a lot of history together, and he’s the only support I have. I refuse to put that in jeopardy over a matter as unimportant as this. Now, are you quite done tormenting your old Master?” he asks, trying to bring some levity to the situation and firmly close the discussion that he does  _ not _ want to be having with a thirteen-year old. Cal thankfully stands up and ignites his saber with little more than an eyeroll, leaving Obi-Wan to stand up as well and return to his own training.

* * *

“Have I mentioned how happy I am that one of you is actually excited to wear armor?” Cody asks Obi-Wan as the four of them are sitting outside of Kwenn’s armory while Cal gets measured. Obi-Wan rolls his head so Cody knows just how hard he’s rolling his eyes.

“Yes dear, only about a million times now,” he says, and Cody bumps their shoulders together. His friend seems to somber after a moment, and Obi-Wan waits for him to speak.

“He told me his guardian hadn’t worn a chest plate, and that’s why he wants beskar’gam.” Cody says, and Obi-Wan’s heart grows heavy at the implication. He swallows and eyes Cody out of the corner of his visor. 

“Do you think we’re doing the right thing? Are we… are we being selfish by bringing the children along with us as we bounce around the galaxy hunting for bounties?” Obi-Wan asks, remembering just how painful it’s been to walk away from the children to go to Bracca, how strained his bond became with Luke and Leia when they realized they wouldn’t see him for a while. Cody sighs. Leia begins to fuss, and he digs her out a binky from their baby bag.

“I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’m terrified of messing up, but it's worth it. Keeping them together is the kindest thing we can do for them, and if living like vagrant spacers is the only way to do that, then so be it. And Cal seems to be adjusting well, so I doubt he minds. At least when he’s with us we can give him some stability,” Cody says.

Obi-Wan looks down at Luke, who is guzzling his formula so fast he’ll undoubtedly be fussy later, and he strokes the child’s downy hair. Luke looks up from his bottle and smiles around the tip, dribbling milk everywhere. Obi-Wan smiles beneath his helm and brushes his Force presence up against Luke’ affectionately. When he looks up, he sees Cody watching him.

“I suppose you’re right. At this point, I doubt I could give them up,” he admits, and sees Cody nod.

“I feel the same,” Cody replies. Before Obi-Wan can reply, he feels a burst of warm joy in the Force. He grins. His bond with Cal has strengthened greatly through their training.

“Cal is very happy with his armor,” Obi-Wan tells Cody, who gives a light chuckle. After a few moments, Obi-Wan’s padawan comes bursting out of the shop, clad head-to-toe in beskar’gam, practically bouncing up and down in his glee.

“Ben! Kote! Thank you, thank you, thankyouthankyouthankyou! Ori’vor’e, ori’vor’e, ori’vor’e!” Cal stutters out, likely beaming underneath his shiny new helmet. Cody laughs and shakes his head, offering his free arm to sling around Cal.

“You’re welcome, Cal’ika. Thank  _ you _ for wearing it,” he replies, and Cal nods vigorously.

“I’m never taking it off. Well, uh, not until I grow out of it,” he replies sheepishly, and Obi-Wan can feel Cody’s relief in the Force. It’s touching how close they’ve grown in such a short time, something about it makes Obi-Wan’s chest go warm at the sight.

“And we’ll keep buying you new sets. We can probably just pass on your old sets to Luke or Leia when they’re old enough,” Cody says, and Obi-Wan’s heart clenches. 

He  _ wants _ that. He wants to watch the children grow as big as Cal, and even more after that. Obi-Wan wants to grow old besides Cody. He likes this life they’ve eked out for themselves, dangerous though it may be. He realizes that he  _ definitely _ couldn’t give this up, and thinking otherwise was folly. Obi-Wan is happy, in his own way. He’s happy to settle for what he has if it means a future with Cody by his side.

He gets up, ready to head back to the  _ Rover _ for the time being, but impulsively drags Cal into a hug as well. Obi-Wan isn’t overly tactile, but the child needs this. He remembers what being touch-starved was like. 

Needless to say, Cal returns the hug in full force.

* * *

“Cody?” Obi-Wan asks, taking stock of the pantry. They’re short on food, specifically on non perishable rations. That’s despite them having bought a whole shipment last week.

“Yes?”

“Have you been eating all of the rations? We are missing quite a few,” he says. 

“No? Why would I willingly eat yai’yai?” Cody counters from where he’s changing Leia in the bathroom and Obi-Wan hums in thought. It isn’t Cody, and it isn’t himself, so that leaves one culprit. But why…?

Obi-Wan remembers how Cal had devoured the rations Obi-Wan had given him for his first meal on the  _ Rover, _ and how he’d nearly broken down in tears a few days ago when Obi-Wan cooked some blue milk pancakes to keep them from getting sick of rations. He remembers what  _ he _ was like when he’d gotten back from Melida/Daan. Qui-Gon hadn’t the faintest idea what to do when he’d found one of Obi-Wan’s food stashes in his closet.

Thank the Force for therapy.

Obi-Wan closes the pantry and makes his way to Cal’s room, walking in to see his padawan surrounded by pieces of his disassembled lightsaber. He’s never had the chance to study his padawan’s saber, and his heart twists in his chest when he realizes the lightsaber is long enough to have been double-bladed, which is a form he knows Cal has little to no familiarity with. The size is also much too large for his small hands. It must have been Jaro Tapal’s. Cal glances up at him before he returns to frowning at his work. The hilt is shot, and the crystal housing is bent, but Obi-Wan has enough odds and ends to fix it. That is, if Cal had asked him for assistance.

Obi-Wan walks over to sit on Cal’s bed. He shifts around for a moment, aware of how lumpy the mattress is.

“What do you need, Master?” Cal asks, bringing his attention back to his young charge.

“Cal, do you know anything about our missing rations?” Obi-Wan asks, and notes how Cal’s hands freeze in their motions of cleaning the bending lens of any debris. He quickly glances up at Obi-Wan but doesn’t meet his eyes before looking down.

“Missing rations? How many?” Cal asks in a halfhearted attempt to change the subject. Obi-Wan sighs, rubbing his eyes before looking back up at Cal. Cal, who is still much too skinny, who spent months living hand to mouth fending for himself when he lost his Master, who still wakes up screaming some nights. All Obi-Wan sees is himself, aged thirteen. Hells, if Obi-Wan squinted, Cal could pass as his kin, and isn’t that a punch to the gut? 

Cal shoots another nervous look in his direction when he doesn't immediately respond, and Obi-Wan forces the tension to drain from his shoulders. He isn’t angry, far from it, but he is concerned. The last thing he wants to do though is come off as upset with Cal. He understands, more than Cal could ever know. Perhaps he can try at least.

“Have I ever told you of the time my Master found my food stash?” Obi-Wan asks, and Cal whips his head around to stare. His padawan remains silent, so Obi-Wan continues.

“It was after I had gotten back from Melida/Daan. I was… well, you know what it’s like to live on the edge of starvation, I imagine. I didn’t know what to do with myself when I was back at the Temple and could have as much food as I wanted,” he says, and watches Cal fidget with his lightsaber parts. “I remembered what it was like to go hungry for days and days. So, I took to preparing, just in case. When Master Qui-Gon found my sweet-roll stash, he was very confused, to say the least. After I explained myself, he hugged me, told me I’d done nothing wrong, and booked me an appointment with the temple mind healers the very next day.”

Cal still says nothing. Obi-Wan’s shoulders slump.

“I am not angry, Cal. I just want you to know that no matter what, you will never go hungry again as long as I draw breath. I promise you,” Obi-Wan says softly. Cal finally meets his gaze, seeming bewildered.

“You aren’t mad?” Cal asks slowly. Obi-Wan shakes his head.

“No, Cal, I’m not mad at you. There’s nothing wrong with taking food, I just would rather it be when you’re actually hungry, rather than stockpiling it. From here on out, we’ll always have some rations out on the counter, just in case. Is that alright with you?”

Cal nods. Obi-Wan smiles.

“Okay, good. Now, how about you help me find your stash and return it to the kitchen before I help you find some suitable parts for your lightsaber, hmm?” Obi-Wan asks. Cal goes a little pink.

“Uh, you’re sitting on them,” he says, pointing to the lumpy mattress. Obi-Wan snorts a laugh.

“I was wondering why your bed was so uncomfortable. Now, help me dig these out and tell me a bit about the damage to your lightsaber.”

* * *

Obi-Wan stares at the ceiling of the Rover in the dim light. Cody’s next to him, but judging by his breathing, he can’t sleep either.

“I think we should move on, soon,” Obi-Wan says.

“Is this a Jedi feeling, or just common sense?” 

Obi-Wan snorts tiredly.

“Common sense. We’ve been here nearly a month, now. If we want to keep from putting down roots, I think we should pack it up pretty soon.”

Cody doesn’t speak for a moment.

“I assume you already have a place in mind, then?” Cody asks. Obi-Wan hums.

“You aren’t going to like it,” Obi-Wan admits. Hells, Obi-Wan doesn’t like it.

“Hmm.”

Obi-Wan counts the specks of grime on the ceiling as he procrastinates answering.

“Tatooine.” 

Cody rolls over and looks at him.

“Are you serious? Didn’t we already scrap that idea?” Cody asks, and Obi-Wan sighs.

“They have a chapter of the Guild there. We’re still trying to establish ourselves as hunters, so it’s good to be near one if we can. Besides, Tatooine is Hutt Space, we don’t have to worry about the Empire breathing down our necks there,” he says. The  _ yet _ is implied. Cody stares at him.

“Fine, but I don’t like it one bit,” Cody says, and Obi-Wan finds that he agrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm doing my best to represent PTSD as accurately as possible. As someone with biploar, I understand how disheartening it can be to have shit representation. I'm trying to balance having Obi-Wan being supportive through space magic with actual advice for helping those with PTSD cope. Don't wake someone up from a nightmare or night terror, for example. 
> 
> Please, let me know if you see any issues with my writing.
> 
> Mando'a Translations:  
> Kov'nyne - Keldabe kisses. For most cases, add e for words ending in consonants or se for words ending in vowels to get the plural.  
> Beskar'gam - Armor  
> Ori'vor'e! - Thanks a million!  
> Cal'ika - Affectionate nickname for Cal. 'Ika is a diminutive  
> Yai'yai - Dense, high calorie foods


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How long has he had feelings for Obi-Wan? Before the Purge? He can’t ever remember not paying extra attention to his Jedi, there’s no time in his memory where he wasn’t filled with complete and utter admiration for the man. No, not admiration, something deeper than that. 
> 
> Affection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY it's been a hot minute. I apologize, writer's block coupled with some less than stellar mental health days and the holidays are the reason for such a large gap between posting. That said, I read every one of your comments, and several of them are the reason why this chapter is getting posted right now. I'm so grateful for all of the support this has gotten, and I want to thank each and every one of you who's commented/left kudos/clicked on this story. Y'all are amazing. In other, better news, the next chapter is already written! I'm planning on uploading on Friday. After that, there's gonna be another gap in updates, but y'all at least have that to look forwards to.
> 
> TW: needles

Cody’s ears throb as Luke and Leia scream in tandem. He rubs his aching temples with his free hand as he rocks Leia. They’ve been at it for  _ hours _ , almost since they departed Kwenn Space Station for Tatooine. It started out with Leia being fussy, but Luke started getting upset the longer his sister carried on. Now the  _ Rover _ is echoing with both of the twin’s displeasure, causing a lovely headache to take root right behind Cody’s eyes. Obi-Wan confirmed that there’s nothing physically wrong with either of them - no colic, they aren’t hungry, they’re relatively well rested, and they don’t need to be changed. Attention hasn’t appeased them, and holding them doesn’t seem to be helping either, but both Obi-Wan and himself continue to rock the children in hopes that it will put them to sleep.

Thank kark they’d bought Cal some earplugs for nights like this.

Cody pries his eyes open and glances over to Obi-Wan. His friend is seated on the floor, utterly still, deep in meditation, Luke in his arms. He’s wailing away, but the Jedi doesn’t even seem to notice, just placidly rocking him back and forth in his arms. He looks at peace, damn him.

“How do you do that?” Cody croaks, and it takes his Jedi a moment to open his eyes.

“Hmm? Do what?”

Cody motions at his general person with his free hand.

“ _ That _ . Meditate. You’re being screamed at, how are you so calm?” Cody asks, an edge of desperation in his voice. He’s so tired. Obi-Wan’s brows furrow, and he beckons Cody over. Cody rises and goes to join his friend on the floor.

“Years of practice. I’ve meditated on the battlefield before, so this isn’t the worst place I’ve been while meditating. I’m trying to remain calm in hopes that Luke picks up on it and quiets down. Force-sensitive children can sense turbulent emotions.”

Cody groans. He’d forgotten that little tidbit of information. He’s practically a ball of stress and exhaustion at this point, not to mention how nervous he is over their trip deep into Hutt Space. Obi-Wan raises a brow at his reaction, and Cody shakes his head ruefully.

“I’m the definition of ‘turbulent emotions’ right now. Do you think you could walk me through meditating?” Cody asks, and Obi-Wan nods, adjusting Luke to fit more comfortably in the crook of his arm before grasping Cody’s free hand in his own. His palm is broad and warm, and Cody frowns at the way his own hand seems to tingle at the contact.

“I find partner meditation easier when there’s a physical connection. I used to do this with Anakin… before. I am not sure how much you will be able to pick up on the force bond between us considering your low force-sensitivity, but it may help you find inner peace easier,” Obi-Wan explains, and Cody’s brows raise at the news that he has a force bond with his friend.

“We have a bond? I thought that was only for Jedi?” Cody asks, and watches Obi-Wan go a little pink.

“Ah, yes, well, I had thought the same, but here we are. It formed of its own volition around year two of the War. I looked into it, and past Jedi in close working relationships with non force-sensitives reported similar happenings in times past. It wasn’t common knowledge that it’s possible because Jedi are- Jedi  _ used _ to be paired with other Jedi on diplomatic missions, rather than civilians,” Obi-Wan explains, and Cody’s heart hurts a little at the usage of past tense. Obi-Wan swallows before continuing on. “Our bond isn’t as close as the one I share with Cal, for example - communication is impossible - but I have a general awareness of your well being. It was… a comfort in the War, and still is, I suppose. I apologize for never mentioning it, I never thought to do so,” Obi-Wan says, and Cody squeezes his hand. Obi-Wan’s blue eyes flick to Cody’s, and Cody smiles despite the throbbing headache and the screaming children.

“I’m glad for it then, if it’s helped you. Now, let’s start,” he suggests, and Obi-Wan nods.

“Close your eyes,” Obi-Wan instructs, “and take note of your breathing. Take a deep breath in… hold it, then slowly release. Let the sound wash over you as you focus on your breath. Don’t try and ignore the noise, just accept its presence,” Obi-Wan says, and Cody pays attention to his breath, deepening it and breathing in from his stomach.

“Good. Now, clear your mind. Don’t block out your thoughts, simply let them flow, acknowledge them, and then move on. You can’t force peace of mind, you instead have to focus on your breathing, focus on keeping your mind free of distractions, and let peace come to you. Try to feel for the force-bond,” Obi-Wan murmurs, and Cody feels a shiver run up his spine at the intimacy of it all. He focuses on his breathing, allows the noise to fade in the background, and reaches out mentally. He feels stupid and almost stops - he has  _ no _ idea how this Force shit is supposed to work - but something gives him pause. When he focuses hard on the feeling of his hand in Obi-Wan’s, the width and breadth of his palm, the easy way their hands slot together, he thinks he feels something, deep in his chest. It’s more subtle than butterflies in his stomach, or the feeling before jumping off a LAAT/i and into battle, but it’s in the same vein - a swooping sensation that feels almost  _ electric _ . 

“I feel it,” he says, and Obi-Wan squeezes his hand. Both Luke and Leia have dropped in pitch, though Cody hardly notices when he’s focused so hard on this… this  _ bond  _ between them.

“Good. I thought you might, with how hard I’m projecting it would be hard for even a rock to miss it,” he murmurs, and Cody opens his eyes. Obi-Wan’s face is calm and his eyes are shut, but after a moment, they flutter open, and a smile breaks over his face like the rising of the sun. Cody finds himself smiling back in the fragile peace. Luke and Leia have calmed almost entirely, just letting out occasional tired huffs. Obi-Wan looks down at their hands and blinks before letting go, breaking the connection between them and leaving Cody wrongfooted for a moment. 

“What were you projecting?” Cody asks, and Obi-Wan looks startled for a moment.

“Friendship! Feelings of friendship,” he says, and then looks down towards the calm children. “Well… that worked well,” he wonders aloud before clearing his throat. Cody blinks, still catching up, before nodding and getting to his feet. He offers Obi-Wan the hand not holding Leia. The man takes it after staring at it for a moment and Cody hauls him to his feet. Cody leads the way to the nursery and gingerly puts Leia down on the cot, praying to the Force that she doesn’t stir. She stays quiet, blinking at him tiredly from where she’s laying on her bed. Obi-Wan backs up from where he’s put Luke down and they quietly sneak from the room, both breathing a sigh of relief when the door is closed without incident. Cody motions to the couch and they both collapse, practically on top of each other. 

“I haven’t had anything since lunch. We should probably eat.”

“We should,” Obi-Wan says tiredly, stifling a yawn that Cody struggles not to mirror. He leans his head back against the couch, needing to rest his aching neck from being hunched over a baby all night.

“If we don’t get up soon, we’re gonna fall asleep on the couch,” Cody warns, trying to keep his burning eyes open to stare at Obi-Wan. His companion’s eyes are already closed, and he seems to be losing the fight against sleep.

“Hmm,” he replies. Cody sighs as Obi-Wan crosses his arms, and Cody goes very still as Obi-Wan leans his head on his shoulder. His hair tickles Cody’s nose. It smells of spiced soap and something uniquely Obi-Wan. Cody, for some reason, is suddenly wide awake as he begins to note how Obi-Wan’s breaths have evened out.

Cody waits several minutes, until he’s sure Obi-Wan is out cold, and he slowly disentangles himself from his friend, snaking an arm underneath his legs and gingerly lifting him into a bridal carry. He makes his way towards their room, doing his best not to jostle Obi-Wan, and eases him onto the bed before throwing the blanket overtop him. Obi-Wan appears peaceful in sleep, and for a moment Cody swears he feels that feeling in his chest again, but he dismisses the notion as absurd. They aren’t even touching, so it’s impossible. Cody is about to turn away when he notices Obi-Wan’s hair in his face. Without thinking, he tenderly brushes it away, and Obi-Wan mumbles in his sleep. 

Cody freezes with his hand on Obi-Wan’s forehead before snatching it away and quickly fleeing.

* * *

“Obi-Wan? Where are y- oh” Cody says, staring at the syringe poised over Obi-Wan’s bare thigh. Obi-Wan is sitting in his boxers on the edge of their bed, and he’s raising his brows at Cody.

“You could knock, you know,” he says, and Cody can feel his face go hot. He’s so used to sharing a room that he didn’t even hesitate to barge in, and he’s so exhausted from not sleeping that knocking didn’t even cross his mind.

“Sorry,” he says, and begins to turn around.

“I don’t… mind, if you stay,” Obi-Wan tells him, and Cody hesitates before walking in and closing the door behind himself. Obi-Wan offers him a small smile before lining up the syringe, plunging it into his leg, and slowly depressing the handle. Cody watches in mild fascination. In all of the years they’ve known each other, he’s only seen Obi-Wan administer his testosterone a handful of times. Obi-Wan used to be very private about it, but boundaries tend to degrade under fire, so Cody probably shouldn’t be surprised.

Still, it’s an intimate moment. He doesn’t know how to feel about Obi-Wan trusting Cody with this part of himself. Cody tries to remember what he came in for in the first place as he watches Obi-Wan dispose of the needle in his sharps container.

Obi-Wan turns to Cody, and Cody stares at Obi-Wan’s toned shoulders.

“Well, get dressed. We’ve entered orbit over Tatooine,” he says, and Obi-Wan sighs. Cody seconds the sentiment.

“Alright,” Obi-Wan says, and goes about putting his armor on. Cody nearly mourns the loss as Obi-Wan’s broad shoulders are covered by his flightsuit and armor-vest before he realizes what he’s thinking and slams the door shut  _ hard  _ on those particular thoughts _. _

He…  _ fuck _ \- he’s attracted to Obi-Wan. 

“Coruscant to Cody - hello?” Obi-Wan asks, snapping Cody out of it. Obi-Wan’s in his full armor, minus the helmet, and he’s staring expectantly at Cody. Cody blinks.

“What?”

Obi-Wan cocks his head.

“You said we’ve entered orbit. It’s time to land? Are you feeling alright?” Obi-Wan asks, and Cody stands and makes his way past Obi-Wan towards the cockpit.

“Feeling fine,” he lies through his teeth.

How long has he had feelings for Obi-Wan? Before the Purge? He can’t ever remember  _ not _ paying extra attention to his Jedi, there’s no time in his memory where he wasn’t filled with complete and utter admiration for the man. No, not admiration, something deeper than that. 

Affection.

“Okay, if you say so,” Obi-Wan says, and Cody sits in the co-pilot’s seat and vows to deal with his crisis  _ later _ \- much, much later. Preferrably when he’s not running on no sleep and on the verge of breaking into hysterical laughter over his shit fucking luck. He’s attracted to Obi-Wan, his old CO, a Jedi, and a man who has to his knowledge only ever loved  _ royalty. _

“This is Captain Ben Tano of the  _ Coruscanti Rover _ requesting to dock,” Ben says into their comms, startling Cody out of his spiraled thinking, likely saving him from asking an idiotic question about Satine. After a moment and a pop of static, there’s a reply.

“This is Mos Eisely to Captain Tano, you are cleared for landing at bay 27, have a nice stay,” they say in reply. 

“Mos Eisely? I thought the bounty office was in Mos Espa?” Cody asks, scrambling to distract himself. He hadn’t thought to look at their coordinates after Obi-Wan had input the launch sequence.

“I… I have a feeling that something important is in Mos Eisely,” he says evasively, and Cody sighs. The Force just loves giving him migraines.

“A  _ bad  _ feeling?” Cody asks. “Because I’d like to know if it’s a bad feeling. Your ‘bad feelings’ are usually accurate.”

“No, just… a feeling. I can’t explain it, I had a dream. Besides, they have a shooting range in Mos Eisely that I figured we could take Cal to,” he says, and Cody holds back a sigh. Barely.

“Alright, well, then what are we waiting for?”

* * *

“This time, close one eye. If you’re doing anything  _ without _ the use of a scope, you keep both eyes open. Take a breath in, put your finger on the trigger, release your breath and squeeze, don’t pull,” Cody recounts as Cal lays on the ground, looking through his sights. The child squeezes the trigger and the DC-15X fires, leaving a smoking hole in the shooting range’s target to the left of the bullseye. Cal huffs and Cody pats him on the back.

“You’ll get it, verd’ika, it just takes practice. You’ve only shot a few times before, remember?” Cody says, and glances to Obi-Wan, motioning minutely to Cal in hopes that he’ll offer some more inspiring advice.

“Don’t forget, Cal, you are one with the Force, and the Force is with you. The Force flows through you, through your blaster, through the air between you and your target, and through your target itself. Trust in the Force with your aim, and you will always shoot true,” Obi-Wan adds. Cody is grateful for the extra guidance when it comes to the Force mumbo-jumbo, because Cody has never trained a force-sensitive before. Cal nods and composes himself, adjusting his helmet before leaning his visor back down to the scope. Cody made him turn off his HUD, wanting Cal to be proficient at shooting without the assistance.

This time, Cal seems to compose himself before placing his finger next to the trigger, taking deep, measured breaths. His chest rises, he moves his finger to the trigger, he breathes out, and fires. This time, his aim is true and he hits the bullseye almost dead center.

“Good job, Cal!” Cody exclaims, and Cal sits up, grinning. 

“Great shot, young one,” Obi-Wan congratulates, and Cal beams.

“Thank you. I’m, uh, I’m gonna stop while I’m ahead. You want a try with your rifle?” Cal asks, and Cody looks expectantly to Obi-Wan, who rolls his eyes and sighs. Honestly, it would likely do him good to practice, he hasn’t shot a rifle in over a year, and, to Cody’s best knowledge, never a Valken 38X. Obi-Wan hunkers down in place of his padawan and adjusts his rifle so it sits comfortably on his shoulder. He sights the target, aiming up his shot. Obi-Wan breathes in, moves his finger to the trigger, breathes out, and pulls.

There’s a smoking hole just to the right of the bullseye. Obi-Wan frowns. Cody hums.

“Keep at it, I’m sure you’re just rusty,” he says, trying to assuage Obi-Wan’s perfectionism. Obi-Wan huffs, but at least refrains from saying something self-deprecating. He lines up his shot once more, and pulls the trigger. He misses again. Cody eyes his form. He’s fine, so it has to be something to do with his follow through. Cody crouches next to Obi-Wan, who pauses his internal hissy fit that Cody knows he’s throwing to glance at him.

“Are you tensing before the shot?”

“Am I- I don’t know. Is there a way to tell?”

“Shoot again, I’ll watch,” Cody answers. Obi-Wan does as he’s told, and Cody watches him like a shriek hawk. Right as he pulls the trigger, he seems to tense. Cody hums, and leans over to adjust his rifle so it’s tucked closer to his shoulder.

“You’re tensing. It can be hard to break the habit, but if you do a surprised break pull, you don’t have to worry about that. This time, slowly squeeze your thumb and your trigger finger together. You won’t know when the shot will go off, and that can keep you from flinching. Alright?” Cody explains, and Obi-Wan nods. Cody watches as Obi-Wan checks his aim and slowly squeezes the trigger. The shot fires, and hits the target smack dab in the middle of the bullseye.

“Good job!” Cody says, slapping a hand on Obi-Wan’s back before quickly snatching it away as if burned.

“Oh, um, yes, it’s all down to good teaching, I suppose,” Obi-Wan says, and Cody feels his face go hot under his helmet at the compliment. They stay there for a moment, just staring at each other, until Cal coughs, breaking the strange tension between them. Cody stands and turns away from Obi-Wan, glancing at the twins both positioned in the shade next to Artoo and Cal.

“You… keep up the good work. I’m going to make sure they aren’t sticking sand in their mouths, or something else horrible,” he stutters out, walking under the large, empty awning and sitting next to the babies. Thankfully, the shooting range is dead at this time of day due to the heat, and Cody, Cal, and Obi-Wan are plenty cool in their climate-controlled suits. The babies are in the shade and Artoo’s dinky little fan is keeping them nice and comfortable. Skywalker may have been a loose cannon, but never let it be said that he didn’t give that droid everything it could ever need, in any situation.

“Sooooo,” Cal starts, and Cody bites back a groan. The kid has  _ that _ kind of tone, where he’s either going to ask something embarrassing, or say something utterly horrifying to hear from the mouth of a child. Cody has half a mind to start a swear jar. Cody and Obi-Wan could make a fortune, he’s certain.

“Yes, Cal?” Cody asks tiredly. Cal tilts his helmet, and Cody hears the click of him activating two-way private comms.

“What do you think of Obi-Wan?” Cal asks, and Cody’s tired mind has to take a minute to parse out the meaning of the non-sequitur.

“What do I- what do you  _ mean _ , what do I think of Obi-Wan?”

Cal scoffs, as if the meaning should be obvious.

“I  _ mean _ , what do you think of him? Do you think he’s a good man? Do you think he’s nice? Do you like him?” Cal answers with a barrage of questions.

“Do I think he’s a good man? Of course, I’d have to be stupid not to. Do I think he’s nice? Yes, much nicer than he should be. Do I… do I like him? Of course I do, he’s… my best friend,” Cody answers weakly, too drained to come up with much of a lie. Well, it  _ isn’t  _ a lie - it just isn’t the whole truth. Cal studies him in silence, and Cody feels an absurd desire to defend himself. He doesn’t give in, of course. That would be childish.

“Not what I meant. Do you  _ like _ him? Like,  _ like-like _ him?”

Cody’s brain shorts out for a half second. Is he that glaringly obvious, that Cal was able to sniff him out almost as soon as he realized his own emotions?

“No,” he says quickly. Cal makes a noise of disbelief. “I don’t. He’s my- he was my CO. It’s against regs.”

Cal hums.

“Really? We aren’t in the GAR anymore, Cody. I think you’re lying. Actually, I  _ know _ you’re lying. I’m a Jedi, remember?” Cal says. Cody feels nothing but pure panic for a moment until he actually thinks about what the kid said.

“That would be an invasion of my privacy. Obi-Wan would disapprove, so you don’t know anything, because you haven’t read my mind. You wouldn’t want to disappoint Obi-Wan,” Cody answers tersely, and Cal sighs, leaning back on his hands.

“You caught me. I wouldn’t read your mind. Hell-”

“Language.”

“ _ Heck, _ I don’t even know if I could. But that’s not what we’re talking about right now. Right now, we’re talking about you and my Master.”

Cody feels pure, unbridled despair, and looks to Obi-Wan in his desperation. The first target’s bullseye is gone, and Obi-Wan’s started chipping away at the next target center. He looks like he’s in it for the long haul, and there’s one more target left after this one. 

Cody’s trapped in this conversation.

“You want to talk? Then talk away. I have nothing to hide.”

“Sounds like something somebody with secrets would say, but whatever. Do you like Obi-Wan? I’ve seen the way you look at him,” Cal says. Cody crosses his arms.

“I look at him a lot. He’s my best friend.”

“You don’t just look at him, you make goo-goo eyes at him. Well, until this morning. After landing, you barely looked in his direction. Did something happen, Cody?”

Damn, the kid is good.

“Nothing at all,” Cody grits through his teeth.

“Okay, I don’t even have to read minds to know  _ that _ ’s a lie. I’m not stupid,” Cal says haughtily. Cody groans and puts his helmet in his hands. He gives up. He’s never been a good liar.

“You aren’t. You really, really aren’t.”

Cal scooches closer and puts a hand on his back.

“Hey, it’s okay. Tell me everything,” he says in a gentle tone, and Cody groans louder. 

“You’re evil.”

“I’m my Master’s padawan,” Cal chirps back happily, and Cody gets ahold of himself enough to take his helmet from his hands and glance at Cal, who’s practically clinging to him with excitement. One of the babies giggles. At least someone finds this funny.

“I… fuc- frick, I can’t believe I’m telling you this! You have to  _ swear _ -”

“I swear. I swear on the Jedi, I won’t tell him anything,” Cal says in a solemn tone. It’s enough for Cody to trust him, and he slumps in defeat.

“Yes, I like Obi-Wan. There, are you happy?” Cody says miserably. Over at the range, Obi-Wan moves to the final target. Cody’s almost free.

“No. I want  _ you _ to be happy, that’s why I’m asking you. You should tell him.”

“No. No way. Not happening.”

“But-”

“No, Cal! I… I just figured this thing out myself, I barely even understand it! I… no, it’s not happening. I’m already at my limit. We’re not… I don’t know how to  _ deal _ with this. I’m a  _ clone _ ,” Cody stresses, staring Cal down, needing him to understand. “I was grown in a test tube to fight a war. My childhood was full of flash training, live fire exercises, and nothing else. I was never supposed to have a- have a  _ life, _ like some kind of natborn! I wasn’t supposed to survive the war, it was my entire purpose. But I… I did. I survived. Now… I don’t know how to be a real person. I’m just pretending,” Cody chokes out. 

He hasn’t slept in over a day, he’s attracted to his best friend, he’s a brotherless clone, and he doesn’t know how to keep all of it inside anymore. Cal kept pushing, and pushing - something inside him broke, and now he’s holding back tears. Cody blinks them away, and feels a small hand on his arm. He looks down, and finds Cal right next to him.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I shouldn’t have asked you so many questions. Are… are you okay?” Cal asks, and there’s so much worry in his voice that Cody finds the strength to speak up.

“Yeah, kid, I’m alright. I’m sorry, too. You shouldn’t have to deal with this,” he says, and Cal adamantly shakes his head.

“No, don’t say sorry, this is my fault. I’m sorry I was so insistent. It sounds really hard, what you’re going through. I… aww, crap, he’s done. Great timing, Master,” Cal grumbles, before refocusing on Cody. “I just want you to be happy, alright? Will you think about telling him? Please?” Cal asks, and Cody sighs, impulsively throwing an arm around the padawan. He’s a good kid, he really is. 

“I’m plenty happy, Cal. I’ll… think about it,” he lies, and they watch as Obi-Wan slings the rifle over his shoulder and walks away from the smoking target with a satisfied air. Right before Cody switches back to public comms, he swears he hears Cal grumble something vile in Huttese about adults.

“You two look cozy,” Obi-wan comments, putting a birikad on and picking up Leia to carry in it. Cody gets up and goes to pick up Luke.

“Yup,” he says. “Where to next?” 

Obi-Wan takes a moment to answer.

“The Cantina. The children need a nap, though. Cal, would you mind watching them on the ship? Besides, I’d rather not take you into such a… seedy establishment,” Obi-Wan says. Cal sighs, but agrees.

“You did good on the range,” Cody says, and Obi-Wan shrugs.

“I just hope I don’t have to use it anytime soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> verd'ika - private, can be used affectionately for children  
> birikad - a baby sling
> 
> Obi-Wan just so happens to be trans in this. It doesn't really have any bearing on the plot, but we need more trans Obi-Wan content that doesn't make me wanna punch a wall.
> 
> Obi-Wan: *projecting love so hard anyone in the vicinity could feel it*  
> Cody, later, feeling Love and Tenderness: Lmao Obi-Wan is this u?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We’ll cover you! Run to the Lethisk-class ship when we open fire!” Obi-Wan barks in Mando’a, praying the two assailants aren’t fluent. They just need to get the kid out. That’s all that matters. A beat passes before he replies.
> 
> “Who’s watching your back?” the tween asks, causing Cody to laugh. Obi-Wan rolls his eyes.
> 
> “Don’t worry about it kid. Move on three!” Obi-Wan calls, giving a mental count. On three, he and Cody lay down a barrage of covering fire in tandem, blasting holes in the bar that the two assailants have taken up in. A streak of red and silver armor shoots past and ducks out the door. The kid doesn’t move, instead hiding behind the doorway and giving them covering fire in return. Despite speaking fluent Mando’a with a Concord Dawn accent, his helmet isn’t Mandalorian, and his armor only consists of gauntlets and a pauldron.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a translations at the bottom as per usual. 
> 
> TW: minor blaster wound, non graphic injury

They weren’t expecting to walk into a shootout. Regardless, that was their greeting when they entered Mos Eisley Cantina. Obi-Wan peeks over the tipped over table he’s using as cover and gets a grazing blaster bolt to the helmet for his troubles. He sighs and hops on his internal comms.

“I saw both a Trandoshan and a human gunning for us. You see anyone else?” Obi-Wan asks, sliding his pistol out of his holster. Cody grunts and gets off a few shots.

“Yeah. There’s a kov’buy’ce I noticed, though I think our friends are after them, too. Just caught the gleam on their helmet as they ducked. ‘S probably why they’re after us, maybe they thought we were backup,” Cody replies. Obi-Wan hums. Three against two is much better odds.

“Mando’ad! Narudaran?” Obi-Wan shouts to the unknown Mandalorian. The Trandoshan growls at the sound and puts several holes in Obi-Wan’s table.

“Elek!” a much too young voice calls back. Obi-Wan bites his tongue. He can’t lecture a child in the middle of a firefight, but by the Force does he want to. 

“Cal, open the door and start the ship, we’re coming in hot!” Obi-Wan shouts into his internal comms after calling up Cal.

“Affirmative!” Cal responds.

“ _We’ll cover you! Run to the Lethisk-class ship when we open fire!_ ” Obi-Wan barks in Mando’a, praying the two assailants aren’t fluent. They just need to get the kid out. That’s all that matters. A beat passes before he replies.

“ _Who’s watching your back_?” the tween asks, causing Cody to laugh. Obi-Wan rolls his eyes.

“ _Don’t worry about it kid. Move on three_!” Obi-Wan calls, giving a mental count. On three, he and Cody lay down a barrage of covering fire in tandem, blasting holes in the bar that the two assailants have taken up in. A streak of red and silver armor shoots past and ducks out the door. The kid doesn’t move, instead hiding behind the doorway and giving them covering fire in return. Despite speaking fluent Mando’a with a Concord Dawn accent, his helmet isn’t Mandalorian, and his armor only consists of gauntlets and a pauldron.

“Ke’vinii!” The kid shouts, and Obi-Wan gives Cody the ‘go’ hand signal. After he’s out the door they dash for the spaceport, turning and laying down shots in the doorway they just vacated. 

The Force yells a warning and Obi-Wan sees the kid go down after taking a bolt to the back.

“No!” he shouts, turning and pumping the Trandoshan full of laser. He scoops up the tween when they run past and clambers up the ramp.

“Go, go, go!” Cody shouts, running up to the cockpit as the ramp retracts. So much for Mos Eisely. Obi-Wan takes the groaning kid to the bench, gently laying him down on his stomach and grabbing the medkid. The bolt bit into his shoulder, missing his lung by a hair. It isn’t a through-and-through he notes as he begins cutting away his shirt to get better access to it. The ship shoots into atmosphere as he does, jiggling the tween and making him curse. Cal may have taken a piloting class or two, but he’s rusty. Obi-Wan’s just glad Cody’s supervising. The kid attempts to push himself upright, and Obi-Wan puts a hand between his shoulder blades, keeping him down.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve been shot. I can take care of it,” the kid grits out, making Obi-Wan scowl under his helmet.

“No. Let me help, trust me when I say back burns are more likely to get infected if you try and tend to them yourself.”

The kid scoffs but stays in place.

“You make a habit of getting shot there?” he snarks as Obi-Wan cuts away his undershirt.

“Electrowhips, actually. Being shot hurts much less,” he replies, and the kid doesn’t have a comeback for that. They’re silent for a moment as Cal puts them into hyperspace.

“Is it bad?” The kid asks in a small voice, reminding Obi-Wan that he can’t be much older than Cal. He sighs and begins to smooth down a bacta pad overtop the wound.

“No, it missed everything important. You’ll likely have permanent shoulder damage, but you’re just lucky it didn’t hit your lung. You need a full set of beskar’gam,” Obi-Wan tells him, and allows the stubborn child to sit up. He cocks his helmet when he looks at Obi-Wan. 

“Yeah, well beskar’s out of my pay range. Can’t even afford durasteel,” is all he replies, and Obi-Wan frowns at the idea that this child is financially independent enough to have to worry about the price of armor. Obi-Wan disappears into his room and grabs one of his larger shirts to give to the kid. When he slides it on, Obi-Wan notices that he doesn’t take off his helmet. Obi-Wan crosses his arms.

“The name’s Ben. You already met my riduur, Kote, and our kid Cal piloted us out of that mess. You have a name, adiik?” Obi-Wan asks, and gets the distinct feeling that the kid is scowling behind his helmet.

“I’m almost fourteen, I’m not an adiik. And no, not one I’m telling you,” he snaps, and Obi-Wan holds his hands up.

“Fair enough. I will keep calling you adiik unless you tell me, adiik,” he says, and hears the kid scoff.

“What happened?” Obi-Wan hears and turns to see Cal enter in full beskar’gam. The mystery tween’s hand twitches towards his blasters and Obi-Wan places a calming hand on his uninjured shoulder. The kid is as jumpy as Obi-Wan was at his age, which is bad news considering his chaotic padawanship.

“Cal, this is someone whose acquaintance we made in the cantina. He was having some trouble with a couple of thugs, and when we walked in, they mistook us as backup,” Obi-Wan explains. Cal steps forward and offers his arm for a warrior’s greeting, which seems to throw the kid for a loop for a minute until he returns the gesture.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Uh, yeah, nice to meet you too,” the kid gets out. With the way he’s acting, it seems like it’s been a long time since he interacted with anyone his own age. It makes Obi-Wan’s heart hurt. The kid is definitely an orphan. 

One of the children starts crying, but before Obi-Wan can do anything, Cody’s walking out from the cockpit and making his way to the kids’ room.

“You got them last time. They probably just want held, you know how nervous they can get,” he says, and Obi-Wan nods. Their kids seem to be especially tuned into whether their guardians are in danger or not.

The tween is frozen when Obi-Wan turns to look at him, but quickly shakes it off. Obi-Wan simply writes it off as hypervigilance and sits down next to the kid and Cal.

“Do you have any family?” Obi-Wan asks out of obligation, knowing the likely answer but still hating the way that the Force sours around the child at the question. 

“What’s it to you, huh?” The kid snaps, and Obi-Wan sighs.

“You’re not the only one who’s lost family, adiik.”

“What, you’ve lost a couple people? You’re fine, you haven’t lost everyone.” The child snarls defensively, and Cal flinches.

“Ben is the only person I have, after the Purge. There’s three of us left in the entire galaxy, so bite your damn tongue,” Cal hisses before stomping off to his room and slamming his door. Obi-Wan sighs. His padawan is taking after his own temper too much. The kid doesn’t speak for a minute.

“Are there really only three of you left?” The tween asks, and Obi-Wan sags into the bench.

“Yes. The Emperor had my people slaughtered. It’s… in the past. We can’t fight back. Yet,” he says, tacking on the last bit when he senses the little Mandalorian was going to ask if he was _ever_ going to fight back.

“What about your riduur? He wore Mythosaur teeth on his helm - Is he alone too?” The kid asks in a hesitant voice. Obi-Wan sighs.

“His vode turned against us, so yes. He’s alone too,” Obi-Wan confirms. The kid doesn’t speak for nearly a minute.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” he apologizes. Obi-Wan shakes his head.

“It’s fine, young one. I can sense you’re hurting, too. I’m sorry for whoever you lost,” he says, standing up. “Now, where to next? We were heading to Mos Espa, but we can drop you off anywhere you like, or you could join our crew?” Obi-Wan asks, and feels the kid’s incredulity in the Force.

“You just met me. You can’t seriously be asking me to join up. You don’t even know me, and you’re asking to take me in like a stray tooka?” The kid asks. Obi-Wan can’t hold back his chuckle.

“Well, considering Cody took me under his wing, and I took Luke and Leia under mine, and I also picked Cal up along the way, yes, I am seriously asking you if you would like to join our crew. Our ragtag little bunch is entirely composed of strays.”

The kid stares at him. Obi-Wan sighs. 

“I am not going to push you, because I sense if I push, you’re gone. Think of it as an option. In the meantime, if you have no objections, a bounty office for my guild is in Mos Espa. I’ve heard their armory is top notch. You seem a little under-armed for a bounty hunter,” he says, looking at the vaguely familiar modified set of WESTAR 34s hanging from his small hips. The kid crosses his arms.

“If I needed more than my WESTARs, I’d be carrying it. I wouldn’t be worth my salt if I couldn’t take someone down with forty shots,” he says, bringing to mind what Cody had told him of the guns all those months ago. Obi-Wan cocks his head and pats his own version of the gun. He’s itching to modify his now.

“I know. Are you a member of the Guild? I’d still recommend you visit the armory,” Obi-Wan says, and the kid huffs.

“No. I had my own thing going until… well, until today. Now I can’t even afford the cover fee. All my stuff is back in Mos Eisely, and I’m sure they’ve got someone watching my base.”

Obi-Wan shrugs.

“We can spot you some cash - bounties have been good lately. If you’re going on your own, it’s the least we can do for an adiik down on his luck.”

Before the kid can turn him down, Cody returns and crosses to stand next to Obi-Wan, companionably bumping their shoulders together. It’s a nice assurance that they’re both fine after the excitement at the cantina. Cody had been acting somewhat… strange since touching down on Tatooine, and has hardly glanced at Obi-Wan the whole while, so the contact is doubly assuring.

For a moment there, Obi-Wan was beginning to fear that Cody had figured out his secret.

“Kids are asleep.” Cody says, and Obi-Wan nods.

Looking over, he notices how still the kid’s gone. He’s staring at Cody, and his emotions are a mess in the Force.

“Are you alright?” Obi-Wan asks.

“You’re a clone.”

Cody freezes and stares back at the kid.

“I am.”

“What… why aren’t you…?” The kid trails off, still stiff as a board, and Cody sighs.

“I deserted when the Emperor ordered us to kill our own Jedi. Now, how did you recognize my voice?” Cody asks, crossing his arms. The kid says nothing. Cody scrutinizes him, zeroing in on his blasters.

“Those blasters- Boba?” Cody asks, and the kid - Boba Fett, apparently - flinches.

“It’s Cody, Kote, do you remember me?” Cody asks gently. Boba cocks his head.

“You- you were the clone who helped me when I was lost. You were a cadet, and you helped me find… helped me find dad,” he says, and Cody nods. He removes his helmet, and after a moment, Boba does too. He looks scared and young, Obi-Wan doesn’t know how he didn’t realize just how young the kid was when they’d fought in prison. He wears his anger like a cloak, and without it, he’s just a hurting little boy. Boba pulls himself up to his full height.

“You... aren’t my family. None of you were there for me. Just because we share the same genetics doesn’t mean anything,” he snaps. Cody sighs and sits down. He looks tired.

“Nobody knew where you went, after Geonoisis. We- most of us thought you dead. Next thing I hear, you try and blow up a Republic ship. Boba-”

“Windu was on that ship! He killed dad, I couldn’t let him live! Jetii talk about being kind and doing no harm, but I saw him kill him!” Boba cries angrily. Now it’s Obi-Wan’s turn to sigh.

“You got what you wanted,” He says. Boba shoots him a confused look.

“What?”

“Mace is dead. The Emperor killed him. I felt him pass into the Force. Let it go, child,” Obi-Wan says, joining Cody on the couch. Understanding sparks in his eyes, and Obi-Wan removes his helmet before the kid can ask him to. Hurt flares in the Force.

“You! The Jetiise wouldn’t have come to Kamino and then Geonosis if not for you!” Boba cries and draws his blaster pistols, leveling them at Obi-Wan’s head. He doesn’t even blink, just stares into Boba’s eyes.

“Do it, if you must.”

Boba frowns, the beginnings of his righteous rant interrupted before it could even begin.

“What? What do you mean, ‘do it’?”

Obi-Wan keeps his gaze steady. He can feel Cody’s anxiety in the Force, but he doesn’t think Boba has the gall to murder a man in cold blood.

“Do it. Take your revenge. I’m one of three Jedi left, the rest of my family are dead. You won’t have another chance if you don’t. If this is what you need for closure, take my life.” Obi-Wan tells him. Something dark twists Boba’s face as his finger rests on the trigger. His hand shakes, ever so slightly. After a tense moment, he lowers his blaster.

“Why? Why tell me to kill you?”

“Because you need to decide whether or not you want vengeance. Obsessing on it eats you up, and even after you take it, it leaves you hollow.” Obi-Wan tells him. Boba opens his mouth, but he cuts him off. “I tried to kill the man who murdered my Master. It didn’t help. I know what it’s like, Boba.”

Boba stares at him and holsters his blasters. His face is unreadable.

“I’m guessing you’re revoking your offer for me to stay?” he asks in a mocking tone. Obi-Wan cocks his head.

“No. Why would I do that?” Obi-Wan asks. Boba stares at him like he’s an idiot.

“I pulled weapons on you. I’m a wanted fugitive. I kill people for a living. I’m not a good person,” Boba deadpans. Obi-Wan smiles. 

“Most of my friends have pulled weapons on me, my bounty is _much_ bigger than yours, and so do I. And all of us on this ship have done terrible things in our life, minus the twins.” Obi-Wan says. Before Boba can doubt his claim, he swallows and steels himself. He has yet to speak aloud of it, but he will in hopes of helping Boba. “I dismembered my best friend and left him for dead because I couldn’t stand to put him out of his misery.”

Boba’s mouth drops open, and he genuinely appears shocked that Obi-Wan was capable of something so heinous. Cody cuts in before he can ask for more details, thankfully.

“I killed some of my brothers and then abandoned the rest to the Empire to save Obi-Wan. Something was wrong, they weren’t themselves, but I still didn’t hesitate to put a bolt through their skulls.” Cody says. He stares Boba straight in the face. “I didn’t look for you before I left Geonosis. We knew Jango was there, so I should have looked for you.”

Boba looks as if he wants to wave Cody off, but he’s interrupted before he can.

“I helped blow up the _Albedo Brave_ with my entire Battalion on it. They had no choice, but we blew them up anyway. When Obi-Wan found me, I murdered a man just for touching me,” Cal speaks up from the shadows where he’s been watching with one hand on his saber since Boba drew his guns. Obi-Wan wants to comfort Cal, tell him none of it was his fault, but feels doing so would undermine their point, and so he bites his tongue. Boba whips around and studies his peer before slowly nodding. He turns to look at the rest of them, something like hope in his eyes.

“You really meant it, when you offered me a place on your crew?” Boba asks, as if he’s expecting them to take it back. Obi-Wan nods.

“Yes.”

Boba seems to ponder it. 

“Can I think about it?” he asks, and Obi-Wan nods.

“Of course. Take all the time you need.”

* * *

“Why do you wear beskar’gam if you’re a Jetii? And how do you speak Mando’a so well?” Boba asks as they clean their weapons in the lounge while en route to Mos Espa. He’s currently giving Obi-Wan pointers on how to reconfigure his WESTAR 34 to have a hair trigger. He hums.

“I took the Resol’nare after the Purge. And as a teenager, I went on a year-long mission to Mandalore to protect Duchess Kryze.” 

Boba frowns. 

“That old bat? Dad said she was always-”

“Satine was a wonderful woman, I will not have you badmouthing her memory. She was a good person, regardless of what you think of her politics.” Obi-Wan says curtly. Boba’s eyebrows are raised.

“Alright, alright. I just don’t understand pacifists, is all,” he says.

“Neither do I,” Obi-Wan quietly agrees.

“So, you’re a Jetii and a Mandalorian?” Boba asks, sliding the last pieces of Obi-Wan’s WESTAR into place and handing it over.

“Yes, I suppose I am. It’s… nice. I’m not as alone, now.”

“We’re not as many as we used to be, you know,” Boba says bitterly. Obi-Wan tentatively reaches out and places a hand on Boba’s arm. He starts, but doesn’t remove the hand.

“I know, and I am sorry for that. What happened to the True Mandalorians was a tragedy. I swear, if you or the Mandalorian people ever have need of me, I will lend my saber and stand by your side. You are the son of the Mand’alor, after all. Last I heard, the position was vacant,” Obi-Wan says. Looking at Boba, he sees a longing in his eyes. Not so much for power, but for community. Obi-Wan squeezes his arm in attempts to comfort him and he snaps out of it.

“I’m just a bounty hunter, Obi-Wan. Nothing more,” he says quietly and returns to cleaning his guns. Obi-Wan’s heart hurts for the young man, but he simply nods and gives him his space.

* * *

Boba walks into the bounty office like he belongs there. They get a few glances, but most of the Guild ignores them. It isn’t until he comes to stand in front of the main desk that they get much attention.

“Can I help you, little man?” the Rodian behind the desk asks. Boba slaps down the five-hundred credits that Obi-Wan had given him beforehand. The grizzled bounty master stares at them blankly. Someone snickers. The bounty master shoots a look at Obi-Wan.

“Care to explain, Mando?” he drawls. Obi-Wan keeps his posture loose and casually leans on the desk.

“This here is Boba. As a member of the Guild, I am present to vouch for him and his resume.”

The Rodian’s face does some gymnastics at that, finally settling on disbelief.

“A resume? He can’t be much younger than my girl. You’re having him run bounties alone?”

Obi-Wan scoffs.

“Mandalorians reach adulthood at thirteen.” Obi-Wan says, words sour in his mouth. That’s always been his least favorite custom, one he couldn’t fathom upholding for Cal or the twins. “He’s emancipated, and he isn’t mine. He has been taking bounties before I ran into him, and he will continue taking them after. I cannot stop him, so I am helping him get into the Guild.”

“He can speak for himself, old man,” Boba snips, and Obi-Wan makes a gesture towards him along the lines of ‘See? See what I have to deal with?’. The bounty master crosses his arms. Boba stands tall.

“Say I take pity and take your fee. Why would I want a greenie like you on the Guild payroll?”

“Copaani gaan?” Obi-Wan asks.

“Ne’johaa!” Boba hisses in return, as Obi-Wan expected. Boba reaches up and takes off his helmet, leaving a hush throughout the crowd. People are always curious about the face behind the bucket. His visage is severe and hard, too harsh for his age. His anger adds years to his face.

“My name is Boba Fett, of Clan Fett,” he says, and somehow the room gets quieter. “I’ve helped my dad on bounties for as long as I remember. I’ve done time in Republic prison. I’ve killed for bounties and for vengeance. Up until I was betrayed, I ran a syndicate out of Mos Eisely at the _tender age_ of thirteen. How about you?” Boba snarls, and the bounty master’s eyes are wide. Obi-Wan feels an unexpected swell of pride at how he stood his ground. Perhaps the pride isn’t so unexpected - they are Mandalorians, after all. 

The bounty master blinks, and slowly extends his hand for Boba to shake. Rather than do so, he grasps it in a warrior’s greeting, making the Rodian man smile.

“Give me a minute and I’ll craft you a Guild I.D.,” he says, and Boba grins.

* * *

“Whaddya want?” the guild armorer asks, lounging at her desk, looking extremely bored. 

“Boba here just joined the Guild, and is going to be running bounties. I refuse to let him do so without the best sniper rifle on the market. Boba needs to learn patience, and there’s no safer way to take a bounty than sniping.” Obi-Wan says, and ignores Boba’s grumbling. His every instinct is telling him to bundle Boba up and hide him away, but he knows that doing so violates his agency and will only serve to alienate him.

The armorer gets a gleam in her eyes and nods.

“Are we talking about the best legal gun on the market, or…?” she asks, and Obi-Wan smiles.

“Whatever you’ve got.” Obi-Wan says, and the woman grins and disappears into the back. She returns a moment later with a weapon wrapped in an oilcloth. She lays it out without great fanfare and unwraps it to reveal an Amban sniper rifle. Obi-Wan’s breath catches - so does Boba’s. It’s a hybrid blaster, taser, and disruptor weapon. The disruptor aspect is _incredibly_ illegal. Disintegration is a nasty way to go, but… if it protects Boba… he’ll just have to get over it. Looking down at Boba shows him that the tween in entranced. He smiles.

“Range?” Boba breathes, picking up and shouldering the rifle. The stock needs adjusted, but other than that, it fits in his arms like it was meant to be there.

“Up to a kilometer if you’re a crack shot with the blaster function. The optimum range is around three-hundred. The disruptor function is only a hundred meters due to the intense dissipation large amounts of tibanna can suffer from. The taser obviously only works within striking distance,” she recounts. Boba nods distractedly.

“Lighter than I thought,” he says.

“The stock is hollowed out. Fully adjustable, too.”

Boba finishes with his inspection and places the gun on the table. He turns to Obi-Wan, and gives him a look so absent of hope or expectation that Obi-Wan knows he’s learned not to invest in either - a lesson no child should have to learn.

“So, what’s the catch?” Boba asks, crossing his arms. Obi-Wan crosses his right back.

“There’s only one. Do you have a code?”

Something like surprise crosses his face before he buries it deep.

“What? Why does that matter?”

Obi-Wan sighs.

“When my family gave us our weapons, it was the culmination of our childhood training. I’m not expecting you to follow my morals, but I feel it is important to never lose yourself in the face of a powerful weapon. So, do you have a code?”

Boba studies him, as if looking for something.

“Yes. My dad left me one.”

Obi-Wan keeps himself from judgement.

“Follow it, then. Don’t lose yourself. But, do not be afraid to question or change the code you follow.” He says, and catches Boba’s scowl.

“My dad didn’t leave me much. I’m not forgetting his code.”

“And I’m not asking you to. Just remember that no code is infallible,” Obi-Wan tells him, and after a moment, Boba folds.

“Alright, old man. I swear I’ll remain true to myself, or whatever. Haat, ijaa, haa’it,” Boba swears, and Obi-Wan shakes his hand with a smile. He turns to the woman, who’s already busy finding them ammunition.

“We’ll take it.”

* * *

“No, you win the _hand_ pot, not the _sabacc_ pot. We haven’t finished the game, just the round,” Boba tells Cal, causing the other tween to groan in annoyance. Obi-Wan’s glad the two tweens were able to patch things up after Cal’s earlier outburst. Obi-Wan smiles as he and Cody sit in the main room, watching the children crawl (or scootch, in Luke’s case) around. Cody’s on the ground moving around and trying to coax Leia to walk. She’s stood up against the furniture, but is just giggling at Cody rather than indulging him. She’s still just too young to be able to walk, but Cody refuses to quit trying. Obi-Wan hears Boba curse as Cal must win again, and something in his heart unclenches.

“It’s good for them to relax and be kids, even if it’s just for a night,” Cody muses, mirroring Obi-Wan’s own thoughts. 

“I feel like we’re raising a warrior, not a Padawan,” he confesses quietly, and Cody goes somber at that.

“We are. We’re doing whatever we can to prepare him for the galaxy. Right now, in this day and age, that means teaching him how to fight.” Cody says. He has a point, but it’s not a pleasant one. The Empire is young, but already he’s heard so many accounts of the atrocities they’ve committed. The Republic was far from perfect, but at least it wasn’t based on overt fascism. Well, originally.

“I suppose so. What… what are we going to do with the twins?” He asks, staring at the children he’s come to view as his own. They’re the future - Yoda agreed with him on that, but he can’t stand the idea of raising his children to take on his fight. Cody sighs, and scoops up Leia when she starts to wobble, causing a torrent of giggles. Luke joins in.

“If they end up anything like you or I, they won’t be able to sit back and watch people get hurt. I don’t think it’s our choice to make whether or not they fight. There’s more than one way to skin a tooka, as well. Their version of serving the cause might not be on the battlefield. Up until they decide… we just do the best we can, pass down as many skills and as much knowledge as we have.” Cody says. Obi-Wan smiles.

“You’re a smart man, Cody.”

Cody blushes and stutters at the praise, causing Obi-Wan to smirk. Cody never was good at taking compliments, he knows it’s nothing personal. He puts him out of his misery by cutting him off.

“I started saber training at five. I… as much as I don’t want to, we live in a time where they will likely have to defend themselves at a young age. I want to give them every tool I can to make sure they stay safe, even if it means training them young.” Obi-Wan says dejectedly, and Cody eventually nods. Luke starts drifting off in the middle of the floor, so Obi-Wan scoops him up before he can drool everywhere.

“I think it’s time for-” Obi-Wan cuts off in a yawn, “-for their bedtime.”

“Yours too, if you’re yawning like that,” Cody says, and Obi-Wan shrugs. He’s always tired. Laughter drifts in from Cal’s room, bringing a grin to Obi-Wan’s face.

“We can let them stay up late, have a little fun, for once,” Obi-Wan says as they go to put the twins to bed. The babies go down without a fuss, and Obi-Wan sticks his head into Cal’s room as Cody quietly closes the twin’s door and disappears into their own room.

“We’re going to bed, don’t stay up all night.”

“Goodnight!” Boba and Cal echo. Obi-Wan closes the door and begins taking off his vambraces as he walks into their room. Cody’s already in his sleep clothes and climbing in bed, and Obi-Wan joins him soon after, flicking off the light with the Force and trying not to curl into Cody’s warmth. They always wake up tangled together, arms slung over torsos and legs entwined, but they never fall asleep that way. Cody hasn’t brought it up, and Obi-Wan sure as hell isn’t going to. 

“At least we know what we were supposed to find in Mos Eisely,” Cody says, and Obi-Wan pauses. It makes sense - the dream he had involved a vague shootout, hence why he wanted to go to the range beforehand.

“I suppose you’re right. Perhaps we were meant to save Boba. He sure needed help, that’s for certain,” Obi-Wan muses. Cody doesn’t say anything for a long time, long enough that Obi-Wan thought he fell asleep.

“Obi-Wan?”

“Yes?” Obi-Wan asks, rolling over to face Cody. He can just make out the curve of his lips in the dim light.

“Do you think Boba is going to stay?”

Obi-Wan sighs.

“No, I do not think he’s going to stay. If I were him, I would likely sneak away in the middle of the night. I wouldn’t want anyone to stop me,” Obi-Wan admits in the quiet. Cody hums and rolls over.

“Alright.”

Obi-Wan bites his lip at the tired dejection in Cody’s voice, but says nothing.

After a long while, he drifts off into a fitful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a Translations:  
> *Kov'buy'ce - Helmet head  
> Mando'ad! *Narudaran? - Mandalorian! Temporary allyship?  
> Elek! - Yes!  
> Ke'vinii - Run (imperative)!  
> Adiik - Child aged 3 to 13  
> Copaani gaan? - Need a hand?  
> Ne'johaa! - Shut up!  
> Haat, ijaa, haa’it - Truth, honor, vision, these are words to swear a pact
> 
> *Anything starred is the invention of the author
> 
> To me, the wackiest thing in the SW universe (besides Palps astral projecting his consciousness into a clone body) is the fact that baby Boba runs a crime syndicate at thirteen. Also, I know Cody wasn't at Geonosis, but this is my city now. And I made up the specs on the Amban partially with specs from contemporary sw sniper rifles and partially from things that sounded cool.
> 
> No clue when the next update will be, but I'm working diligently on the next chapter!
> 
> Follow me on tumblr @generalekenobi for writing updates and star wars content.


End file.
